In Photos: Flash floods in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River leave 8 dead, many missing

At least eight people were confirmed dead and many others were missing in Nepal after flash floods in the Bhote Koshi river, originating from Tibet, engulfed many areas in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts on Wednesday

Initial reports from the affected areas and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the swollen river swept many settlements across the 60-km road from Xylong in Tibet, China, down to Rasuwa, Nuwakot (Trishuli), and Dhading

Trubhuwan Trishula High School—the oldest and biggest in the area—was either swept away or substantially damaged, cutting the area off from the rest of the Himalayan country

Police said a glacier that melted in Tibet caused the Bhote Koshi River to flood around 9.15 am in Nepal, while a disaster management official said reports of casualties remained unconfirmed as authorities gathered verified information

Officials said that information gathered from the Chinese side indicated that although the water levels in the Bhote Koshi were receding, the threat of fresh floods cannot be ruled out

The affected route is part of Nepal’s over 260-year-old trade route with Tibet. At least half a dozen bridges over the Trishuli have also been swept away

Initial reports also said that the floods affected at least 430 MW of power generation capacity

Prime Minister Balendra Shah called an emergency meeting of the Cabinet. The Nepal Army has taken the lead in the rescue operations, and other security agencies are assisting it