KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Bhotekoshi flood death toll reaches 95
The death toll from the devastating flood that struck the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Wednesday morning has risen to 95. The figure is based on bodies recovered from various districts and the latest data provided by the Nepal Police. According to Nepal Police, bodies of flood victims have been recovered from Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Chitwan, Tanahun and East Nawalparasi. The victims include women, men and children, while the identities of some of the deceased remain unknown. In Rasuwa, the body of one man has been recovered. In Nuwakot, 11 bodies—five women and six men—have been found. In Dhading, 18 bodies have been recovered, including 11 women, five men and two unidentified persons.
63 injured receiving treatment
According to Nepal Police, 63 people injured in the flood have been rescued and are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals. Of them, 21 are being treated at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, seven at the National Trauma Centre, one at Birendra Army Hospital in Chhauni, 21 at Rasuwa Hospital and 16 at Trishuli Hospital. Three are receiving treatment at Norvic Hospital and one at Green City Hospital. Police also said 10 personnel from Timure, three from Syafrubesi, five from Mailung, one from Betravati and two from Haku are currently out of contact.
403 people missing in Rasuwa floods, including 341 foreign nationals
A total of 403 Nepali and foreign nationals have been reported missing following the sudden floods in Rasuwa. According to the latest details received from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, 203 women and 200 men are among those reported missing. Of the total missing, 341 are foreign nationals, including 133 Indian citizens. The remaining 62 are Nepali citizens, according to the ministry’s details. The sudden flooding of the Bhotekoshi River has caused extensive damage in areas including Timure and Syafrubesi. The Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force are continuing search and rescue operations after a large number of people were reported missing.
Army, private helicopters evacuate 114 flood victims from Rasuwa
A total of 114 people have been airlifted to safety following the devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Wednesday morning. According to the Nepal Police, the Nepali Army rescued 85 people through multiple flights, while private helicopter companies evacuated another 29. The Nepali Army rescued 60 people from Timure to Dhunche, 13 from Timure to Trishuli, five from Mailung, four from Betravati and three from Trishuli to Kathmandu.
China’s weather agency links Nepal’s flash floods to heavy rain in Tibet, different explanations under study
China’s government weather agency has attributed the flash floods and debris flows in northern Nepal to heavy rainfall in Nepal and the upper catchment areas of southern Tibet. The Beijing-based World Meteorological Centre published the analysis in the 92nd issue of its Global Disaster Weather Monitoring and Forecast News on August 26, under the headline “Flash Flood Disasters Occur in Northern Nepal.” According to the report, Nepal had experienced continuous rainfall for around 10 days due to the southwest monsoon and the Himalayan terrain. Accumulated rainfall during the period reached heavy to extremely heavy levels in some areas.
Landslide across China border linked to devastating Bhote Koshi flood
A preliminary study by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has identified a massive ice-rock landslide near the Nepal-China border as a possible trigger for Wednesday’s devastating flood in the Bhote Koshi River. According to NDRRMA, analysis of satellite imagery from Planet Labs indicates that an ice-rock landslide occurred around 20 kilometres northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border point, on the Nepal-China border. The landslide appears to have sent a large volume of debris and water into the Lhende Khola, which flows into the Bhote Koshi River. The authority said the debris-laden flood then moved through Timure before entering the Trishuli River, causing widespread destruction along the river system.
25 injured in Rasuwa floods brought to Kathmandu for treatment
Twenty-five people injured in the flooding of the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Wednesday morning have been brought to Kathmandu for treatment. According to Nepal Police spokesperson Superintendent Dan Bahadur Thapa, four of the injured are receiving treatment at the National Trauma Center. Those being treated there have been identified as Bhakta Bhandari, Sita Bhandari, Bibek Kumal and Rihana Lamichhane of Bidur Municipality-5, Nuwakot. Police said Dawa Dolma of Gosaikunda, Rasuwa, is receiving treatment at Birendra Army Hospital in Chhauni.
Floods damage at least 19 bridges, 40 km of roads along Bhotekoshi-Trishuli Corridor
At least 19 motorable bridges and around 40 kilometers of road sections have been damaged by the devastating floods along the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system, disrupting transportation in several areas. According to Shubharaj Neupane, deputy director general and spokesperson for the Department of Roads, assessment of the damage is ongoing, while efforts have begun to restore damaged road sections and bridges. Neupane said the department has mobilized heavy equipment and machinery to clear debris, repair damaged sections and restore road connectivity wherever possible.
Modi calls PM Balen, assures India’s full support for flood relief
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah and expressed condolences over the loss of lives and property caused by the floods in Nepal. During the phone conversation, Modi expressed sympathy for those who lost their lives and said India stands with the Nepali people during the difficult situation. Modi also said India is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal and that Indian teams are coordinating closely with the Nepal government on rescue and relief efforts.
Rescue efforts continue in flood-hit Nuwakot as families search for loved ones
Security personnel, including the Nepali Army, have continued aerial rescue operations for flood victims in Nuwakot. Those injured in the disaster are receiving treatment at the No. 1 Military Training Centre in Trishuli, Chakradev Hospital and other health facilities. Along the banks of the Trishuli River and outside hospitals, families and relatives of those killed, missing and injured have been left waiting anxiously for news of their loved ones.
India, China and World Bank step up support for flood-hit Nepal
India, China and the World Bank have stepped up coordination to provide immediate financial and material assistance for rescue, relief and reconstruction efforts in Nepal’s flood-affected areas. World Bank Country Director for Nepal David Sislen contacted Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle at 10:35 am after reports of the disaster emerged and said the World Bank could mobilise up to Rs 25 billion in emergency assistance from various sources. India has also asked the Nepal government to provide a list of relief materials urgently required for flood victims.
Cabinet meeting: Govt to take immediate step for rescue, rehabilitation, treatment of flood-hit people
The government has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and property from a massive flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa district. It decided to take immediate measures for the rescue, rehabilitation and treatment of the affected and injured people. A Cabinet meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Singha Durbar, today paid tribute to those killed in the flooding and extended condolence to the bereaved families. Spokesperson of the government and Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokharel, said the government is making immediate arrangement of free treatment to the injured ones. We wish speedy recovery to the injured ones, he added.
Xi Jinping directs rescue and relief efforts for Nepal-Tibet flood victims
Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed relevant authorities to urgently step up search, rescue and relief operations following flooding along the Nepal-China border in Tibet that has affected communities on both sides. According to Chinese state media, a massive mudslide originating from the Nepal side struck Gyirong Port in Gyirong County of Shigatse, Tibet, at around 10:30 am on Wednesday. The incident reportedly caused significant casualties, with several people still missing. Following the disaster, Xi instructed authorities to make every effort to locate those missing, evacuate residents in danger and provide medical treatment to the injured in order to minimize casualties.
PM consults flood-affected area MPs, directs relocation of displaced people
Prime Minister (PM) Balendra Shah has held consultations with federal lawmakers from flood-affected districts on the situation following the flooding of the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa. Prime Minister Shah held discussions with federal MPs from Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar on Wednesday. According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the meeting focused on the damage caused by the floods, the condition of settlements along the riverbanks and ongoing search, rescue and relief operations.
Govt declares Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading disaster-hit areas
The government has declared Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading as disaster-hit districts following the floods that caused widespread damage in the areas. The declaration will remain in effect for three months, according to a minister. The emergency Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday decided to designate the three districts as disaster-hit areas and directed the concerned authorities to take all necessary measures for search, rescue, relief and recovery. The Cabinet has also instructed all ministers to mobilize resources and work on the ground as required under their respective ministries to support the disaster response.
60 workers missing after flood hits Langtang Khola hydropower project
Sixty employees, including engineers, working at the under-construction 20 MW Langtang Khola Hydropower Project in Syafrubesi, Rasuwa, have gone missing following flooding in the Bhotekoshi River. The workers lost contact after the river flooded the area where the hydropower project is being constructed. Bijay Mohan Bhattarai, managing director of Langtang Hydropower Project and secretary of the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal, has urged the government to launch an immediate search for the missing workers.
PM Shah’s Q&A session in Parliament postponed
The live question-and-answer session with Prime Minister Balendra Shah, scheduled for today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, has been postponed. The parliamentary meeting, which was scheduled to begin at 1 pm, was postponed due to the damage caused by floods in several districts, including Rasuwa, across the country. Parliament Secretariat Spokesperson Ekram Giri said discussions were underway regarding the session and that the meeting would be brief.
Four CPN-UML ministers resign in Gandaki Province
Four ministers from the CPN-UML serving in the Gandaki provincial government have resigned following a change in the political power equation in the province. The ministers took the decision to resign at a meeting of the UML parliamentary party on Wednesday. The decision had been discussed and finalized at a parliamentary board meeting held on Tuesday. Following the decision, the four ministers met Gandaki Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey and submitted their resignations. Those who resigned are Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management Govinda Nepali; Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Bhim Karki; Minister for Industry and Tourism Yashoda Rimal; and Minister for Health Laxman Pandey.
Rasuwa floods damage six hydropower and transmission facilities
The flash floods in Rasuwa have damaged six major hydropower and power transmission facilities, as well as other electricity distribution infrastructure, resulting in disruptions to power supply in the affected areas, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). The damaged facilities include Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, Chilime Hydropower Project, Trishuli 3A, Trishuli 3B Hub 220 kV Substation, Trishuli Hydropower Station, and Devighat Hydropower Station. The NEA said several distribution structures in the affected areas have also been damaged. It added that efforts are underway to restore electricity services at the earliest possible time and appealed to consumers and other stakeholders to remain patient until the supply is fully restored.
Floods wash away police offices in Rasuwa
Flooding in Bhotekoshi river has caused major damage to three police offices in Rasuwa district, according to Nepal Police Headquarters. The Police Headquarters said significant damage has been reported at the Area Police Office in Timure, the Police Post in Syabrubesi and the Police Post in Rasuwagadhi. Police Headquarters said detailed information about the extent of damage to the offices and the condition of police personnel stationed there is yet to be received. Further details are expected once communication and access to the affected areas are restored.
Bhotekoshi flood causes widespread destruction in Rasuwa
A severe flood in the Bhotekoshi River on Wednesday morning has caused extensive damage in Rasuwa, including the destruction of a market and the Rasuwa customs area. Rasuwa Assistant Chief District Officer Dhruba Prasad Adhikari said the flood in Lhende Khola, also known as the Bhotekoshi River, caused significant damage around the Rasuwa border crossing. “Two markets have been destroyed,” Adhikari said. “Timure and another nearby market have been swept away. A large number of vehicles and other materials were kept in the Rasuwa customs area, and all of them were washed away by the flood.”
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