Rasuwa Flood: 384 Out of Contact, Nepal Declares Crisis Zones

Sudden flooding along the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa left 384 travelers out of contact Wednesday, the Nepal Tourism Board said, and Nepal’s cabinet declared the affected local governments disaster crisis areas.

The board called its Aug. 26 assessment preliminary and listed 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali citizens. Virginia Times could not independently verify the total, which rests on a single official account.

Separately, Kantipur reported that 60 people at the 20-megawatt Langtang Khola Hydropower Project had been out of contact since Wednesday morning, citing project promoter Bijay Mohan Bhattarai.

Bhattarai said they included 25 engineers, drivers and cooks and 35 people working inside a tunnel. It was unclear whether any of the 60 were included in the tourism board’s count.

Construction was complete, and testing was scheduled to begin two days later, Bhattarai said.

One person died among 23 flood survivors brought to the district hospital in Rasuwa, said Dr. Amit Prajapati, the hospital’s medical superintendent. The others remained under treatment.

The flood struck the Rasuwagadhi area Wednesday morning and merged into the Bhotekoshi. Initial accounts describe damage to settlements, market areas, a police office, roads and hydropower structures in Timure, Rasuwagadhi and Syaphrubesi.

Initial reports from the area described damage to homes, markets, a police office, roads and hydropower structures in Timure, Rasuwagadhi and Syafrubesi.

Across the border, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out search for people missing after floods and landslides in the Nepal-China frontier area, Global Times reported, citing Xinhua.

The Kerung crossing in southwestern China’s Xizang Autonomous Region was damaged, according to that report.

Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said an emergency Cabinet meeting declared all local jurisdictions in flood-affected districts disaster crisis areas for three months.

Khanal said the declaration was made under Section 32 of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2074.

Prime Minister Balen Shah said the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police had been deployed, with reinforcements moving from other districts.

The disaster management authority was coordinating with medical teams, Nepal Scouts and the Nepal Red Cross, while additional ambulances and medical personnel were being sent, according to Shah’s post.

Chief district officers had been told to move downstream residents to safe places, Shah said. Officials were also sending alerts by text message and telephone.

Helicopters were sent toward the affected area and private operators told to keep aircraft on standby, according to the post, which said some were already en route.

Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane called the destruction harrowing and said the government stood with those affected. He said he had held talks with home and health officials and the prime minister about rescue and treatment, and that saving lives was the priority.

The World Health Organization plans to send basic medicines and medical equipment for 1,000 people, along with 15 emergency tents measuring 24 square meters each, the Health Ministry said. The plan followed discussions with Health and Food Hygiene Minister Nisha Meht

The ministry said WHO would also provide 15 emergency tents measuring 24 square meters each.

Bir Hospital and the Trauma Center in Kathmandu have set aside 100 emergency beds, according to the ministry, and three injured people have been rescued and brought to the capital. Coordination also extends to a federal hospital in Kathmandu, the blood transfusion center, the Bagmati and Gandaki provincial health ministries, the Nepal Red Cross, Lions and Nepal Scouts.

After 25 Ncell sites and seven Nepal Telecom towers were affected in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, Ncell announced three days of free service and Nepal Telecom two days.

Shah urged residents to remain in safe places and await official rescue updates if they could not contact relatives. His post listed 1234, 100 and 1111 for rescue and relief information.