The moment a flash flood like a tsunami swept through the China-Nepal border gate

Serious flash floods in the Nepal border area with China’s Tibet region on August 26 buried many structures, causing concerns about large casualties.

Images from surveillance cameras showed murky floodwaters coming from the Tibetan mountains like a tsunami, sweeping through buildings at the border gate, flooding into the Rasuwa region of Nepal, while people fled. At least 95 people were killed and the number of casualties could rise.

Xinhua news agency said flash floods and landslides occurred on the Nepal side and affected the Gyirong border gate, disrupting traffic, communications and power systems in the Shigatse area near the border.

Flash floods continued to flood downstream, washing away many houses, roads, bridges and electrical works in Nepal’s villages.

Nepalese officials said 384 tourists were reported missing, including 291 from countries such as India, the US, the UK and Malaysia. Despite racing to find victims, Nepali officials said rescue helicopters were unable to land in the affected areas of Syapru Besi and Timure in the mountainous Rasuwa district, which has a population of about 50,000 people, because river water levels rose above normal levels.

Nepali television broadcast images of collapsed houses amid floodwaters, drifting cars and an iron bridge swept away, while witnesses said floodwaters had submerged entire villages.

“There could be major casualties or heavy damage to property,” said Rasuwa district administrative officer Narendra Pariyar, calling on people living along the banks of the Bhote Koshi River to move to higher ground.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed efforts to search for missing people with “the utmost determination”, and ordered strengthened surveillance and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah said police and military forces were participating in the rescue work, and directed officials to relocate people in downstream areas to safer places.

Originating in Tibet, the Bhote Koshi River flows into Nepal’s Trishuli River and then flows to India as the Gandak River. Floods on the Bhote Koshi River last year killed nine people and washed away the friendship bridge linking Nepal with China, disrupting trade and transport for months.