Nepali Embassy and Consulate in U.S. Appeal for Flood Relief Donations After 95 Deaths
Rescue workers evacuate people affected by flooding in Nuwakot, Nepal. Photo: Dipendra Dhungana/NepYork
The Nepali Embassy in the United States and the Consulate General of Nepal in New York have appealed for financial contributions to support rescue, relief and long-term rehabilitation efforts for people affected by flooding in the Bhotekoshi River system in Rasuwa.
According to an appeal issued by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, flooding that began at 8:40 a.m. Wednesday, Bhadra 10, 2083, affected riverside areas in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and other districts. Authorities said they are still compiling details of human and property losses.
The Embassy of Nepal in the United States and the Consulate General of Nepal in New York urged Nepalis and other supporters to contribute to government relief funds.
The government said search, rescue and relief operations have been intensified in affected areas, while survivors require immediate relocation to safe places and longer-term rehabilitation.
Donations are being requested for the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund and the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, both administered through the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. The New York consulate also called on donors to deposit contributions into bank accounts announced by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Casualties and Missing Travelers
At least 95 people have died in the destructive flooding from Rasuwa’s Bhotekoshi River system, while an initial report lists 403 tourists and travelers as out of contact. Officials said the flooding caused widespread destruction from areas near the China border in Rasuwa to lower riverside settlements near Muglin.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, the missing include 341 foreign nationals and 62 Nepalis. The group includes 203 men and 200 women.
Those out of contact include 133 Indian nationals, 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons, 24 Canadians and 19 Malaysians. Nationals of Ukraine, Singapore, South Africa, Japan, New Zealand, Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, Belarus, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, Portugal and the Philippines are also on the list.
Cause Under Investigation
The foreign minister said initial information suggests that an earthquake on the Chinese side may have triggered a major landslide that blocked the Bhotekoshi River before the impounded water suddenly surged into Nepal.
Authorities are also considering whether an ice-and-rock avalanche near a glacier blocked a tributary, forming a temporary dam that later burst. The exact cause remains under investigation.
The flood entered Nepal through the Rasuwagadhi border point at about 9 a.m. and moved through Timure, Syabrubesi and other settlements in Rasuwa before reaching riverside areas of Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan along the Trishuli River, officials said.
Damage to Communities and Infrastructure
Rasuwagadhi, Timure and Syabrubesi were among the hardest-hit locations in initial assessments. The flood swept away homes, hotels, shops, a police post, tourist buses, cargo vehicles and commercial goods. The Rasuwagadhi customs yard, a major entry point for imports from China, also sustained heavy damage.
Business owners estimate that the flooding may have swept away more than 200 cargo trucks and between 500 and 700 imported electric vehicles. More than 20 bridges between the Rasuwa border crossing and Galchhi were reportedly destroyed, severing road links among several districts.
Chilime, Mailung, Betrawati, Trishuli Bazaar, Devighat, Galchhi, Gajuri and Malekhu also were affected. Authorities urged residents along the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers to stay away from riverbanks and move to safe locations if necessary.
Rescue Challenges and Power Disruptions
The Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Tourist Police and local residents are conducting search, rescue, evacuation and relief work. Helicopters have been deployed, but difficult terrain and flood conditions have prevented landings in some severely affected mountain settlements.
Between 13 and 15 hydropower projects and related infrastructure, including the Chilime, Rasuwagadhi, Trishuli-3A and Trishuli-3B substations, have been affected, according to the Energy Ministry. About 430 megawatts of electricity supply has been disrupted.
Power, telephone and internet outages have left many areas of Rasuwa and Nuwakot without service, complicating rescue operations and damage assessments. Officials said casualty, missing-person and displacement figures may change as floodwaters recede and access improves in remote areas.
Additional reporting from Nepal by Suraj Ghimire and Dipendra Dhungana.