Death toll from Rasuwa flood reaches 11, 862 people rescued

Kathmandu – The death toll from Tuesday’s flood in Rasuwa district, triggered by a glacial lake outburst in the upper watershed area, has risen to eleven. Initially, nine fatalities were reported, but the discovery of two more bodies downstream in the Trishuli River has increased the count, according to Deputy Inspector General of Police Binod Ghimire.

So far, 862 individuals stranded by the flood and road blockages have been rescued and safely relocated, Ghimire reported.

Only one of the deceased has been identified, while the identification of the others remains difficult due to the challenging condition of some remains, and only human parts being found in certain cases. Police headquarters has informed that nineteen people are still missing. Among those missing was a police officer, Assistant Inspector Lalbahadur Shrestha, whose body has been identified and laid to rest, but the other bodies remain unclaimed at the Maharajgunj Teaching Hospital.

Over 1,300 security personnel have been deployed to aid in rescue operations, and the search for the missing continues, as stated by the police.

The flood had severe impacts on infrastructure, sweeping away the Friendship Bridge on the Nepal-China border, 24 containers, six trucks, and 42 electric vehicles. The road from Dhunche to Timure suffered extensive damage, affecting the Rasuwa Hydropower Dam and the customs office yard.

Preliminary findings by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology indicate that the flood was caused by an explosion in the glacial lake located in the upper watershed area.