The Rasuwa flood has caused widespread destruction along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors, affecting settlements, markets, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure across several districts.
The flood entered Nepal from the Tibet side on Wednesday morning and swept downstream from the Timure area in Rasuwa towards Nuwakot and Dhading, with its impact extending further into Gorkha, Chitwan and other downstream areas.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but several towns and settlements have reported significant destruction.
Timure
Timure, near the Nepal-China border, was among the worst-hit areas.
The Rasuwa flood swept away houses, shops, vehicles and goods in the market area. Infrastructure around the Rasuwagadhi customs point was also severely damaged.
The flood disrupted roads and access to the area, making rescue operations and damage assessment difficult.
Syafrubesi
Syafrubesi was another of the hardest-hit settlements in Rasuwa.
Houses, hotels, shops, roads and a police post were damaged or swept away. Tourist buses and other vehicles were also carried away by the flood.
The main road connecting Syafrubesi with Timure has been disrupted, while several tourists staying at hotels in the area have been left stranded.
Local residents described the force of the flood as extraordinary, saying it appeared as though a huge volume of water had suddenly been released upstream.
Mailung
Mailung and surrounding settlements also suffered extensive damage.
Houses were swept away and roads were damaged, leaving the area difficult to access. The flood also eroded farmland and destroyed crops.
Security personnel rescued several people from the area, with some injured survivors airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.
Betrawati
The Rasuwa flood continued downstream to Betrawati in Nuwakot, where houses, roads and bridges were damaged.
The settlement, located along the Trishuli River, was inundated by floodwater and debris. Agricultural land in the area was also covered with mud and sediment.
Trishuli Bazaar
Trishuli Bazaar in Nuwakot suffered major damage as the flood moved downstream.
Preliminary reports indicate that around 60 houses were swept away, while two concrete bridges were destroyed.
Water and debris inundated the market, damaging homes, shops and other structures. The Tribhuvan Trishuli Multiple Campus and surrounding infrastructure were also affected.
Galchhi
The flood reached Galchhi in Dhading, where rising water levels in the Trishuli put riverbank settlements at risk.
A concrete bridge was swept away, while roads and houses were also affected. Flood debris and mud covered sections of the area.
Authorities have urged people to avoid travel through the affected areas.
Gajuri
Gajuri and surrounding areas were also affected by the rising Trishuli River.
Residents reported damage to houses, roads and agricultural land. People living in vulnerable areas were moved towards safer locations, although the full extent of the damage has yet to be established.
Malekhu
At Malekhu, the Trishuli River rose above the danger level.
The flood affected areas around the market and damaged roads and bridges. Several houses near the river were inundated.
Ruwakot and Majhimtar
Riverbank settlements including Ruwakot and Majhimtar also experienced the impact of the Rasuwa flood.
Houses and farmland were damaged, while floodwaters deposited rocks, mud and debris across agricultural land.
Authorities are still collecting details of the damage in these areas.
Muglin
The flood also triggered warnings for communities around Muglin further downstream.
Authorities advised people to avoid the Prithvi Highway and the Muglin–Narayanghat road and asked residents in vulnerable riverbank areas to move to safer locations.
Muglin, however, appears to have avoided the scale of destruction reported in settlements further upstream.
Widespread destruction
The Rasuwa flood has affected dozens of settlements along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, damaging homes, businesses, roads, bridges, customs infrastructure and hydropower projects.
The Nepal Electricity Authority has reported damage to several hydropower and transmission facilities, disrupting electricity generation and supply in Rasuwa and surrounding areas.
With several roads and bridges damaged or washed away, access to affected settlements remains difficult. Rescue operations and detailed assessments of the human and physical losses are continuing.
