Flash Floods In Nepal Leave Hundreds Missing, At Least Eight Dead

RASUWA, Nepal —

Flash floods tore through northern Nepal on Wednesday after a large volume of water rushed into the Bhote Koshi River from the Tibetan side of the border, burying roads and villages in mud and leaving hundreds of people missing, France 24 and Euronews reported.

At least eight deaths have been confirmed, according to Euronews. Among the missing are more than 300 tourists, France 24 reported, though neither outlet said where the tourists had been traveling or what triggered the initial surge in Tibet.

The surge began in the Bhote Koshi in Rasuwa district, near the border crossing between Tibet and Nepal, damaging villages, roads and other infrastructure, according to Euronews. The flooding then pushed downstream into the Trishuli River, sending muddy water through Nuwakot and Dhading districts. Footage from those areas showed streets covered in mud and debris, Euronews reported.

Rivers Under Watch

The flooding also reached Galchhi, in Dhading district, where the Trishuli carried a heavy flow of muddy water, according to Euronews. Nepali police have urged residents to stay alert, and authorities have warned people to keep away from the banks of the Bhote Koshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers while rescue teams assess the damage, Euronews reported.

Alerts Spread Across The Border

The flooding has not stayed confined to Nepal. Flood alerts have also been issued in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which sit downstream along rivers that flow out of Nepal, France 24 reported. Neither outlet detailed the scale of the threat in India or whether any evacuations had been ordered there.

Rescue operations in Nepal were still underway as of the reporting, with search teams working to reach the districts hit hardest by the surge. Neither source said how many people remained unaccounted for beyond the initial estimate of hundreds, or whether the death toll was expected to rise.