At least 72 people have lost their lives and hundreds remain missing as a result of the intense flooding caused by the rise of the Bhotekoshi River in the mountainous district of Rasuwa, in northern Nepal and near the border with Tibet, according to Nepalese authorities who reported this Wednesday.
Along the course of the river, numerous settlements and various infrastructures have been seriously damaged by the water. The overflow has also caused significant destruction in Chinese territory, on the other side of the border, particularly affecting the Gyirong pass.
The National Authority for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMA) has specified that search and rescue teams have recovered 72 bodies in seven districts, most of them in Chitwan, further south in the country. The emergency has caused communication cuts in large areas, which notably complicates relief operations.
The authorities have deployed a wide response device despite the enormous difficulties in accessing the most affected areas. The tasks involve 14 helicopters and security forces, who remain mobilized and waiting to resume search and rescue efforts, according to information from the newspaper "The Kathmandu Post."
Among the most affected points are local markets and security posts in the region. It is also estimated that 32 members of the security services remain missing in Timure, in the Rasuwa district, very close to the border with China.
The authorities have not yet determined the exact origin of the floods, although several senior officials point to a possible landslide that may have blocked the course of a river in Tibet before the Bhotekoshi overflowed. In light of this scenario, the population residing near the Trishuli River has been asked to stay away from the riverbank and move to safe areas.
About 400 tourists missing
The Nepal Tourism Board has informed local media that about 400 tourists, mostly pilgrims heading to Mount Kailash in Tibet, are currently missing due to the lack of communications while the flooding persists.
The authorities have estimated that there are 384 tourists with whom contact has been lost, of which at least 93 are of Nepalese nationality and 291 are foreigners. The initial data suggests that 105 would be Indian citizens, 17 Malaysians, 12 British, four South Africans, three Americans, one Australian, and one Dutch, while the rest of the nationalities have not been made public.
In this context, the authorities have urged visitors to remain calm, stay informed at all times, and strictly follow the official safety instructions issued by the competent authorities.