8 killed in Nepal as flash floods wash away villages, rescue ops underway

The sudden surge of water entered the river Bhote Koshi from the Tibetan side around 9 am in Rasuwa district, severely affecting the areas of Timure and Syapru Besi, officials said.Kathmandu/Patna,UPDATED: Aug 26, 2026 14:11 ISTAt least eight people have been killed and nine others are missing after massive flash floods swept through Nepal's Rasuwa district near the Tibet border on Wednesday, washing away settlements, vehicles and infrastructure projects, officials said. The floods also prompted neighbouring Bihar to issue an alert as the waters moved downstream.The sudden surge entered the river Bhote Koshi from the Tibetan side around 9 am, severely affecting Timure and Syapru Besi, officials said. The full extent of the devastation was still being assessed, with authorities warning that casualties could rise.The cause of the flash flood remained unclear. Nepal's Flood Forecasting Division said the surge did not appear to have been caused by heavy rainfall in Rasuwa, while satellite imagery showed significant rainfall on the Tibetan side. Officials are investigating whether it could have been triggered by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) or another sudden release of water from the Tibetan side, The Kathmandu Post reported.The flooding also affected parts of Tibet, where a mudslide caused casualties and left people missing near the Gyirong border crossing, China's official Xinhua news agency reported. In India, the Bihar government stepped up vigilance over the flash flood situation in Nepal. Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit held a video conference with district magistrates and directed officials in districts along the Gandak and Kosi river systems to remain particularly alert.VILLAGES AND BORDER MARKET SWEPT AWAYRasuwa Chief District Officer Narendra Pariyar said authorities had received reports of villages and infrastructure project sites being washed away, although the scale of the damage was not immediately clear, Reuters reported. “There could be heavy casualties or loss of property,” Pariyar said.Timure Bazaar, a market near the Tibet border, and the nearby customs area were extensively damaged, with vehicles and goods swept away, according to local officials. A newly constructed Friendship Bridge at Rasuwagadhi, which had been rebuilt after last year's deadly flood, was also washed away.Three Nepal Police facilities were damaged -- the Area Police Office in Timure, Police Post in Syaphrubesi and Police Post at Rasuwagadhi -- according to Nepal Police. Nine Armed Police Force personnel deployed in Timure near the Tibet border were reported missing, The Kathmandu Post reported.The floods also damaged or swept away hydropower infrastructure, roads and bridges. Nepal's Energy Ministry said around 430 MW of electricity supply was affected, mostly from hydropower projects -- more than 12 per cent of the country's total installed hydropower capacity of 3.2 GW, Reuters reported.HELICOPTERS UNABLE TO LAND IN FLOODED AREASNepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah chaired an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers to review the flooding, damage and rescue efforts. Police, the Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force have been deployed for search and rescue operations, while two Army helicopters were sent towards the affected areas, according to The Kathmandu Post.However, rescue operations have been hampered by the conditions on the ground. Water levels were too high for helicopters to land in Syapru Besi and Timure, Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said.Shah said authorities had instructed officials to move people living in lower-lying areas to safer locations. “People along the river are advised to exercise extra caution and remain alert,” he said.The flooding moved downstream into the Trishuli river basin, prompting warnings for Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan. Traffic from Kathmandu towards Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Chitwan and Dhading was suspended amid the flood threat, The Kathmandu Post reported.Nepal Home Minister Sudan Gurung also appealed to residents along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli riverbanks to evacuate to safer areas.- EndsPublished By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Aug 26, 2026 13:22 IST