Nepal has deployed helicopters to support rescue operations after severe flash floods swept through villages in the Himalayan country, killing eight people and damaging roads, bridges and energy infrastructure near the border with Tibet.
The floods struck the Syaphrubesi and Timure areas of Rasuwa district, where officials warned that the situation remained dangerous. Water levels were too high for rescue helicopters to land in the affected areas.
Authorities said the flooding occurred suddenly, with reports that infrastructure construction sites in nearby villages had been swept away.
Apocalyptic floods and a massive landslide have devastated parts of Tibet and Nepal
— PressTV Extra (@PresstvExtra) August 26, 2026
Follow: https://t.co/RuQCIFWYoj pic.twitter.com/MloI1Fm8H5
Warnings issued along the Bhotekoshi River
Rasuwa sector commander Narendra Pariyar warned residents living along the Bhotekoshi River to move to higher ground, citing reports of extensive damage.
An eyewitness quoted by Nepal’s Onlinekhabar described hearing a loud sound before people began shouting and running from the area.
Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said rescue helicopters would not be able to land until the floodwaters recede.
The cause of the floods has not yet been established. However, deadly flash floods on the same river last year were linked to the drainage of a glacial lake.
Damage reported across the border
China’s Xinhua news agency reported “significant losses” in Gyirong County in Tibet, with several people missing after a mudslide hit a land crossing between China and Nepal.
The mudslide also affected the Gyirong port on the Chinese side, disrupting roads, telecommunications and electricity supplies in the Shigatse area, Xinhua reported.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for every effort to be made to rescue those missing and urged stronger monitoring and early-warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.
Hundreds of megawatts of power affected
Nepal’s Energy Ministry said 430 megawatts of electricity supply had been affected, mainly because of disruption to hydropower plants.
The figure represents more than 12% of Nepal’s total hydropower capacity of around 3.2 gigawatts, according to Reuters calculations.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah said police and army personnel were assisting search and rescue teams. Authorities have instructed people living in lower-lying areas to move to safer locations and urged those living along the river to remain vigilant.
The Bhotekoshi River originates in Tibet and flows into Nepal’s Trishuli River, which eventually reaches India as the Gandak River.
Last year’s flooding of the Bhotekoshi killed nine people and left 24 missing after floodwaters swept away a Friendship Bridge linking Nepal and China, disrupting trade and transport for months. The flooding was attributed to the drainage of a large glacial lake in Tibet, according to a regional climate monitoring agency.
Nepal flash flood –
— Sachin Gupta (@Sachingupta) August 26, 2026
नेपाली मीडिया रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक, अभी तक 32 पुलिसकर्मियों, 25 पिलग्रिम सहित बड़ी संख्या में लोगों के लापता होने की सूचना है। मतलब इनसे संपर्क कट गया है। हैलिकॉप्टरों ने 12 लोगों को सुरक्षित रेस्क्यू किया है। कई हाइड्रो पॉवर प्रोजेक्ट बह गए हैं।
पत्रकार… https://t.co/C6kuBf1HJp pic.twitter.com/UsZRTxSdX9
Also read: El Niño triggers emergency measures in Central America
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
