Overview
- A sudden surge in the Bhote Koshi river entered Nepal from the Tibetan side on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, and swept through Rasuwa district, washing away villages, bridges and market areas.
- Officials have confirmed multiple deaths and say casualty figures are still rising; the Nepal Tourism Board issued a preliminary list of 384 travellers missing, including about 105 Indian nationals, while security services report dozens of police and APF personnel unaccounted for.
- The Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have deployed helicopters and ground teams and the prime minister convened emergency meetings, but high water and steep terrain have hampered landings and access to cut-off areas.
- The Nepal Electricity Authority reported roughly 430 megawatts of generation capacity affected and several hydropower projects, transmission lines and highways were damaged, disrupting electricity and trade on the Nepal–China route.
- Investigators are probing an upstream trigger such as a glacial lake outburst or landslide after local rainfall was ruled out, and experts warn faster glacier melt raises the risk of sudden floods that can push hazards downstream into India’s river systems.