Kathmandu: Fresh concerns have emerged in flood-hit Nepal after the Bhotekoshi River recorded another rise in water levels on Sunday, prompting authorities to warn rescue and relief teams operating in several affected districts to exercise caution.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) issued the alert as search operations continued in areas devastated by the flash floods earlier this week. Officials said the renewed rise in the river level could pose an additional risk to personnel working along the affected river corridors.
The warning covers rescue teams and others in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan districts.
Search operations continue as casualties mount
The flash floods have left widespread destruction across central Nepal, with the death toll now approaching 700 and nearly 2,400 people still reported missing, according to authorities.
Bodies continue to be recovered as rescue teams search through debris and damaged settlements. More than 15,000 security personnel have been deployed for search and rescue operations, while helicopters are being used to evacuate stranded residents and transport essential relief material.
The situation remains challenging because of renewed rainfall and unstable water levels in the affected rivers.
Roads, bridges and hydropower projects damaged
The floods swept through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors, causing extensive damage to homes, roads, bridges, vehicles and settlements.
Several hydropower facilities were also affected by the powerful flow of water, mud and debris.
At the Trishuli hydropower project, Nepalese security personnel, assisted by Indian tunnel experts, continued working to locate the entrance to a tunnel where people were reportedly trapped. Efforts continued beyond midnight despite heavy rain, according to Nepal Army sources.
Hundreds injured in flood disaster
The NDRRMA said 242 people injured in the Bhotekoshi floods had been admitted to various hospitals by Saturday evening.
Of those, 135 patients had been discharged, while 29 were shifted to specialised medical facilities. Another 75 people remained under treatment, according to the disaster management authority.
Hospitals in Kathmandu, including Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and Bir Hospital, along with Rasuwa District Hospital in Dhunche, have been treating those injured in the disaster.
Authorities urge rescuers to remain cautious
The latest river-level rise has added another challenge for teams already working in dangerous conditions.
The NDRRMA has asked personnel involved in search and rescue operations to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions. The authority said further information would be issued once additional details about the river situation become available.
The devastating floods are believed to have been triggered by a collapse or avalanche involving ice and rock in the Himalayan region near the Nepal-Tibet border. The resulting surge carried huge quantities of water, mud and debris downstream, causing destruction across several districts.
With rainfall continuing and thousands still missing, authorities remain focused on rescue, recovery and relief operations while closely monitoring river levels.
