Kathmandu, Jul 9 (PTI) At least nine people were killed and 19 others are missing after monsoon rains flooded a river in Nepal's Rasuwa district, sweeping away the "Friendship Bridge" that links the country to China, officials said on Wednesday.
The continuous monsoon rainfall in China on Monday night triggered a flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Nepal.
“Nine people died, one was injured, 19 are missing, and 57 have been rescued so far," National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) Director General Dinesh Bhatta told a press conference.
The Nepal government has announced Rs 200,000 compensation to kin of those killed in the flood.
Among the missing persons are six Chinese nationals and three police personnel.
The flash flood that hit parts of Rasuwa district, 120 km northeast of Kathmandu, on Tuesday completely damaged the Miteri Bridge, Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Plant, and parts of the Dry Port situated near the Nepal-China border, Bhatta said.
The Miteri Bridge was swept away by flooding at around 3:15 am on Tuesday.
The flooded river swept away 23 cargo containers, six freight trucks, and 35 electric vehicles.
The dry port was partially damaged by the flood, and 16 km of the Kodari Highway connecting the Nepal-China border were also damaged in the incident, Bhatta said.
The flood might be caused by the outburst of a glacial lake situated near the Nepal-China border, as there was no excessive rainfall at that time on both sides of the border, he said.
"However, we are studying the real cause of the disaster with the help of experts. The water level at some point rose to 3.5 metres without sufficient rain, which is unusual," he said.
Around 343 security personnel and a Nepal Army helicopter have been mobilised for the search and rescue operation, Bhatta said.
"We will collaborate with the Chinese authorities while carrying out rescue works, and information will be exchanged with the northern neighbour. We will also seek cooperation from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)," he said.
Meanwhile, a report published by ICIMOD on Wednesday said in the 2000s, experts had anticipated that glacial-origin floods would hit the Hindu Kush Himalaya region once every 5 to 10 years.
"In two months—May and June 2025 alone saw three glacial origin floods hit the region, in Nepal (Limi), in Afghanistan (Andorab Valley), and in Pakistan (Chitral, Hunza),” it said.
Scientists at ICIMOD have been mapping and monitoring glacial lakes and glacial-origin hazards since 1985—when Dig Tsho lake in Khumbu, Nepal, knocked out a micro-hydro and caused nearly USD 3 million of economic damages.
"The centre conducted the post-event assessment of this event and has now also conducted multiple major hazard assessments, including into disasters in Melamchi, Birendra Tal, and Humla in Nepal and Chamoli and the South Lhonak disaster in Sikkim, India," the report said.
“What’s also new, say experts, is the devastation that small lakes, some so small or hidden that we didn’t even know they existed, are now causing,” it said.
According to a recent study conducted by ICIMOD, Nepal has 21 potentially dangerous lakes, 25 are in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, and one is in India. PTI SBP/NSA SCY