Nepal Flash Flood in Rasuwa Washes Away Villages, Damages Hydropower and Roads
A massive flash flood in Nepal's mountainous Rasuwa district has swept away villages and damaged roads, bridges and hydropower projects along the Bhote Koshi river, officials said on Wednesday (August 26, 2026), warning that casualties may have occurred.
The areas of Syapru Besi and Timure, home to an estimated 50,000 people, were severely affected, authorities said, urging residents living on the river's banks to move to higher ground immediately.
District Administrator Narendra Pariyar said there were reports of villages and infrastructure project sites being washed away. "There could be heavy casualties or loss of property," he said, adding that an immediate estimate was not yet available.
The cause of the flash flood was not immediately clear. Last year, a similarly deadly flood on the same river was traced to the draining of a glacier lake, underscoring the region's vulnerability to such events.
Nepal's Ministry of Water Resources said hydroelectric projects, as well as roads and bridges, were among the infrastructure damaged. Electricity supply in the area has been disrupted as a result, the government added.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah said rescue and relief teams, along with police and army personnel, had been dispatched to assist. "Instructions have been given to move the people living in the lower areas to safer places," he said, advising those along the river to exercise extreme caution and remain alert.
The Bhote Koshi river originates in Tibet and flows into Nepal's Trishuli river, which continues into India as the Gandak river. The cross-border nature of the river makes regional coordination important during such disasters.
In last year's flood on the Bhote Koshi, nine people were killed and 24 went missing. The flood also washed away the "Friendship Bridge" linking Nepal and China, disrupting trade and transport for months. That event was triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in Tibet, according to a regional climate monitor.
Experts have long warned that Himalayan glaciers are melting rapidly due to climate change, leading to the formation of numerous glacial lakes that may burst and cause catastrophic downstream flooding. While the current trigger has yet to be determined, the incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by communities in Nepal's high-altitude valleys.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities working to assess the full extent of the damage and provide assistance to affected families. The government has assured that all necessary resources are being mobilised to deal with the emergency.
