Nepal-China flash floods: 1 dead, dozens missing as torrential rains hit; rescue ops underway

KATHMANDU: At least one person died and 17 others went missing after torrential monsoon rains triggered flash floods along a Himalayan valley between Nepal and China on Tuesday, officials reported.A key bridge over the Bhotekoshi River, a vital connection between the two nations, was swept away in the floodwaters, which hit the border area around dawn.

Rescue operation in Rasuwa: 9 pulled to safety

Nine people stranded in Rasuwa district were rescued safely after the Lhende stream flooded near the Nepal-China border. Authorities confirmed that out of 37 people initially at risk, 22 are now in a shelter, while efforts are on to locate the remaining 15 missing individuals.

Cross-border impact

Nepal’s national disaster risk reduction and management authority (NDRRMA) confirmed 17 people missing on the Nepal side — including 11 Nepalis and six Chinese nationals. China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported 11 more missing on its side, in addition to the six Chinese construction workers swept away in Nepal.

Experts warn climate change is worsening

Monsoon-related floods and landslides are common in South Asia, but experts warn climate change is worsening their severity.

“Rising temperatures and more extreme rain raise the risk of water-induced disasters,” warned by the international centre for integrated mountain development (ICIMOD) in June.The UN’s world meteorological organization has also described intensifying floods and droughts as a “distress signal” of an increasingly erratic water cycle.