Deadly flood roils the Nepal‑Tibetan frontier, killing at least 17 people and leaving dozens homeless.
The deluge struck Rasuwa district in northern Nepal early Wednesday, when melted snow from the high‑altitude catchment of the Bhote Koshi choked the river, building a wall of water that surged into neighbouring villages and the main roadway to the capital.
Rescue squads are searching both sides of the China‑India border; 12 survivors have already been recovered, but 13 police officers remain missing and several dozen support teams cannot be contacted because radio and mobile links are down.
State media in China report that casualty numbers are rising, while Nepalese authorities warn that “huge loss” could cost a country of 29 million people more than it has seen before.
“All security agencies are cooperating on rescue efforts,” said Police spokesman Abhi Narayan Kaphle to the BBC, echoing the bulletin from Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who called for residents to stay alert and cooperate with Red‑Cross teams.
The flood has also damaged hydropower infrastructure: piles of mud and sand now sit against a plant used by the region, and the stretch of highway that feeds the national grid has been permanently blocked.
The scale of this disaster is already reported as exceeding the last year’s glass‑breaking glacier burst in Rasuwa, which killed 18 people. Chief officials are pressing for an interim task force to mobilise emergency supplies to prevent a humanitarian crisis.
