One Dead, Dozens Missing as Floods Hit China-Nepal Border
WORLD DESK: At least one person has died and 28 are missing after flash floods swept through a remote Himalayan valley along the China-Nepal border, local authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
Triggered by relentless monsoon rains, the powerful surge of water tore through the mountainous region, destroying infrastructure and sweeping away a key bridge over the Bhotekoshi river, which connects the two countries.
Missing on Both Sides
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority confirmed that 17 people — including 11 Nepali nationals and 6 Chinese construction workers — are missing in Nepal’s border areas.
On the Chinese side, state reports indicated that a mudslide disaster in the early hours of Tuesday left 11 people unaccounted for, adding to the growing toll of the cross-border tragedy.
Monsoon Woes Intensify
Floods and landslides are a tragic but regular reality in South Asia’s monsoon season, which typically runs from June to September. But scientists warn that climate change is amplifying these disasters, bringing heavier downpours, rising temperatures, and more unpredictable weather patterns.
Last year, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization labelled severe floods and droughts as a “distress signal” for the planet’s increasingly unstable water cycle.
Communities at Risk
Experts at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, cautioned last month that the region’s mountain communities face heightened risks during this year’s monsoon.
“Rising temperatures and more intense rainfall are raising the threat of floods, landslides, and debris flows across the Himalayas,” ICIMOD said in its recent warning.
Search and Rescue Ongoing
Rescue teams on both sides of the border are battling challenging conditions, including heavy rain and rugged terrain, to search for the missing and deliver aid to affected villages.
Authorities have urged residents in high-risk zones to move to safer ground as the monsoon shows no signs of letting up.
Stay with MEGA NEWS for the latest updates on the China-Nepal border floods, extreme weather, and climate risks across Asia.
