Nepal flash floods death toll hits 95, over 400 still missing

At least 95 people have been confirmed dead and more than 400 remain missing after a massive flash flood swept through Nepal's northern Rasuwa district near the Tibet border on Wednesday, destroying homes, vehicles, bridges and infrastructure projects and triggering flood alerts downstream in India.

At least 133 Indians are among those reported missing, according to preliminary figures. Many of the missing Indian nationals were reportedly travelling to Tibet for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage.

The flood surged into the Bhote Koshi River from the Tibetan side at around 9 am, severely affecting the border settlements of Timure and Syapru Besi.

A mudslide also struck Tibet near the Gyirong border crossing, causing casualties and leaving people missing, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

Massive surge sweeps away homes, bridges

Security footage from the Chinese side showed people fleeing moments before a torrent of rocks, mud and water swept through the area, destroying buildings and vehicles.

The exact cause of the disaster remains unclear. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported that a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck around seven minutes before the timestamp visible on the security footage, raising the possibility that seismic activity may have contributed to the disaster.

Experts have also suggested that an avalanche or ice-rock collapse could have triggered the sudden surge.

In Rasuwa, Timure Bazaar and the nearby customs area were extensively damaged, with vehicles and goods swept away.

A newly constructed Friendship Bridge at Rasuwagadhi, rebuilt after last year's deadly flooding, was also washed away.

Three Nepal Police facilities were damaged, while nine Armed Police Force personnel deployed in Timure were reported missing.

The flooding also damaged roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure. Nepal's Energy Ministry said around 430 MW of electricity generation capacity was affected, representing more than 12 per cent of the country's total installed hydropower capacity.

Rescue operations hampered

Nepal has deployed the police, Nepal Army and Armed Police Force for search and rescue operations.

Two Army helicopters were sent towards the affected areas, but high water levels prevented them from landing in Syapru Besi and Timure.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah chaired an emergency meeting to review the disaster and rescue efforts and directed authorities to move people from vulnerable low-lying areas to safer locations.

Home Minister Sudan Gurung also urged residents living along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers to evacuate to safer areas.

The floodwaters have moved downstream into the Trishuli river basin, prompting warnings for Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan.

Traffic from Kathmandu towards Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Chitwan and Dhading has also been suspended in view of the flood threat.

Bihar placed on alert

The disaster has also raised concerns in Bihar, as the Bhote Koshi eventually feeds into the Trishuli river system, which enters India as the Gandak.

Six districts in Bihar have been placed under heightened vigilance as authorities monitor river levels and the movement of floodwaters downstream.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary to review the situation. The Centre and state government have asked relief and rescue agencies to remain prepared.

A high-level team has also been constituted to monitor developments in Nepal.

Tibet also hit by flooding

Across the border, a mudslide struck Gyirong county and the Gyirong port in China's Tibet Autonomous Region, damaging roads and disrupting communications and power supplies.

Xinhua reported major casualties and missing people in the area.

Chinese President Xi Jinping directed authorities to intensify search and rescue operations and strengthen monitoring and early-warning systems to prevent further disasters.

The Chinese Embassy in Nepal activated its emergency response mechanism and said it was assessing the situation involving Chinese citizens and businesses in affected areas.

Risk of further flooding remains

Experts have warned that the danger may not be over.

Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, said an ice-rock avalanche may have triggered the disaster, although the cause has not been confirmed.

He also warned that a blockage remained upstream along the Nepal-China border and that another major flood could occur if it suddenly collapses.

The region had also suffered a deadly Bhote Koshi flood last year, which killed nine people and left 24 missing. The disaster washed away a bridge connecting Nepal and China and disrupted trade and transport for months.

Modi speaks to Nepal PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah and expressed condolences over the deaths caused by the floods.

Modi assured Shah of India's full support and offered humanitarian and relief assistance.

India is also preparing to send relief material to Nepal. According to sources, two flights carrying relief supplies are expected to depart, with one scheduled for Wednesday night and another on Thursday morning.

With rescue operations continuing in difficult conditions and floodwaters moving downstream, authorities in Nepal and India remain on high alert as efforts continue to locate those missing and assess the scale of the destruction.