The flood that occurred early on July 8 swept away the Friendship Bridge in the town of Rasuwagadi, about 120km north of the capital Kathmandu, near the border with China. Arjun Paudel, head of Rasuwa District, confirmed that one victim's body has been found, while the search for another 17 people is still ongoing.
The missing list includes 11 Nepalese citizens and 6 Chinese. Residential houses and trucks parked at the border gate waiting for customs inspection were also swept away by floodwaters. In particular, hundreds of electric vehicles imported from China parked at the border point also suffered damage.
95 rescue workers were deployed to the area and additional forces were on their way to assist. A military helicopter has been deployed to evacuate people stranded in the affected area.
Floods and landslides are common in South Asia during the rainy season lasting from June to September, but according to experts, climate change is increasing the severity of these disasters.
The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization has warned that increasingly severe flooding and droughts are a clear warning sign of instability in the global water cycle in the context of climate change.
The International Comprehensive Mountain Development Center (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, said in June that mountainous communities are facing an increased risk of natural disasters during this year's rainy season.
ICIMOD emphasized that rising temperatures combined with extreme rainfall can increase water-related disasters such as flash floods, landslides and mud and rockets, seriously threatening people's lives and livelihoods.
The Nepalese government is working to maintain rescue and damage assessment activities in the border area, which plays an important role in trade between the two countries.
