Nepal flash floods kill 157, over 750 missing; 133 Indians untraceable

At least 157 people were killed and more than 750 remain missing after massive flash floods swept through central Nepal on Wednesday, devastating towns and villages, destroying bridges and damaging hydropower projects.

The Nepal Police said in a social media post that 157 people had died in the disaster. The Nepal government put the number of missing people at around 500, while China's state-run CGTN reported three deaths and 265 people missing on the Chinese side of the border.

At least 133 Indians and 37 non-resident Indians (NRIs) are among those missing, officials said. At least 50 of the Indians were pilgrims travelling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

The whereabouts of 37 of the 57 tourists from Tamil Nadu who were in Nepal remain unknown, while 20 have been accounted for, state officials said. A 32-member group from Kolkata travelling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was also among those who went untraceable after the floods, an official said.
A team of 36 people from Kerala travelling in Nepal is safe and away from the areas affected by the floods.

The other missing tourists are from more than two dozen countries, including the US, Malaysia, the UK, South Africa, Australia and the Netherlands.

The Isha Foundation, an India-based non-profit organisation, said 77 of its members who were at an immigration centre were missing. Its founder Sadhguru said there had been no official information about their whereabouts, while 495 members had returned safely.

Earthquake may have triggered glacial outburst
Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Parliament that an earthquake struck the Tibet region at 8.37 am local time on Wednesday, with flash floods reported three minutes later. He said the tremors may have triggered a glacial outburst that led to the floods.

The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River, affecting Rasuwa and Dhading districts along the Tibet border. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, a rockslide and the swelling of the Lhende River along the Nepal-Tibet border caused the massive flow to enter the Trishuli River through the Bhote Koshi at Timure in Rasuwa district.

The floodwaters then spread along the river course to Nuwakot, Chitwan, Gorkha, Tanahun and Nawalparasi East, affecting areas between around 70 km and nearly 200 km from Kathmandu.

Videos from the affected areas showed a powerful surge of muddy water, rocks and debris sweeping through the border region, forcing people to flee as the torrent engulfed buildings and vehicles.

Modi assures assistance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah and assured him of India's full humanitarian assistance in dealing with the disaster.

India has already sent 10 tonnes of disaster-relief materials and emergency medicines to Nepal aboard a special Indian Air Force transport aircraft.

Shah thanked India for the immediate humanitarian assistance and Modi's condolences, saying India's solidarity during the crisis reflected the strong friendship between the two countries.

India steps up border vigil
Following the flash floods, India intensified security and disaster-preparedness measures along the India-Nepal border amid concerns that downstream floodwaters could affect Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Officials are closely monitoring riverine areas in both states. As a precaution, people living along the banks of the Gandak River in Bihar were evacuated during the night.

Embassy issues helpline numbers
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu issued emergency numbers for Indians seeking assistance or information about relatives affected by the floods.

People can contact the embassy at +977 985 131 6807 or +977 970 910 7500.

The embassy said it was coordinating with the Nepal government and other relevant authorities for the early rescue and relief of Indian nationals affected by the floods.

The Nepal Tourism Board also issued helpline numbers, including the toll-free emergency number 1234, hotline 1144 and Tourist Police number 9851289445.

Kerala monitoring situation
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan directed the Chief Secretary to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs regarding Malayalis travelling in Nepal.

In a Facebook post, Satheesan said the state government was closely monitoring the situation and urged families unable to contact relatives travelling in Nepal to inform the Chief Minister's Office.
They can contact the office at 9447111844 or 9747132147.

(With PTI inputs)