Kathmandu— Flash floods swept through communities in Nepal on Wednesday after an apparent glacial lake outburst in Tibet unleashed torrents of water down the Bhotekoshi River and its tributaries, impacting settlements and infrastructure in the Nuwakot district and beyond. Approximately 180 people have been confirmed dead, with at least 1,400 still missing as search and rescue efforts continue across a vast region spanning Nepal and Tibet in China; those missing include local residents, police, government employees, hydropower workers, and hundreds of Indian tourists participating in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage. The disaster struck rapidly, catching many off guard while at school or work, and has left entire settlements and vital infrastructure – including roads, bridges, and power stations – destroyed.

Rapid Flooding Catches Communities Off Guard

Gyan Deep Sapkota, an 11th-grade student at Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot district, recounted how teachers began shouting for students to evacuate as floodwaters surged towards the school. “Some of us took a small old bridge and crossed to a safer area, while most of the students took up to the hills,” he said, describing scenes of panic and fear. Healthcare worker Rajendra Poudel, from Betrawati town in Nuwakot district, described the devastation as ‘apocalyptic,’ noting that homes, gardens, a hydropower station, and everything else had been swept away. “There is nothing here. This is heartbreaking; I am out of words.”

Widespread Damage to Infrastructure

The floods have caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure across several Nepali districts. According to a statement from Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Office, 19 vehicle bridges and 43km of highway connecting lower regions of the country to the affected areas have been destroyed. Lal Bahadur Rai, a resident of Nuwakot district, said floodwaters reached within 10 metres of his house, sweeping away homes and even a school nearby. He also noted that solar power stations and extensive coffee farming in the area had been completely wiped out.

Search Efforts Underway for Missing Individuals

Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle reported that search and rescue teams had recovered 95 bodies by late Wednesday, but warned that both the death toll and number of missing are expected to rise as floodwaters recede and access to affected regions improves. Many of those missing are Indian tourists who were travelling to Tibet for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage. Residents like Rajan Nepali have been desperately searching hospitals in Kathmandu for loved ones, including his brother-in-law who was accompanying tourists when contact was lost. Sharmila Bhandari is anxiously awaiting news of her husband, civil engineer Janak Raj Bohora, who went missing while on duty at the Upper Trishuli hydropower project.

Authorities are continuing to search for those still missing and provide aid to affected communities, with offers of assistance coming from neighboring India; Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Nepali counterpart Balen Shah on Wednesday, pledging humanitarian support.

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.