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Nepal-China 'friendship bridge' washed away in floods
The China-Nepal friendship bridge was destroyed by flooding in the region. AP
Flash floods swept away the main bridge connecting Nepal to China on Tuesday (July 8), killing at least seven people and leaving 18 others missing, officials said, as search and rescue efforts continued in the country's mountainous Rasuwa district.
The floods hit early Tuesday and caused extensive damage to the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge and the surrounding infrastructure, including the customs yard where hundreds of vehicles and cargo containers were stationed, according to local authorities.
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Among the missing are three police officers, nine Nepali civilians and six Chinese nationals. Most of them were drivers or workers involved in the transportation of goods across the border. The police said the officers disappeared while attempting to rescue people caught in the floods.
'There are sad reports of some deaths while some people are missing,' Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said in a statement after flying over the flood-hit area. 'The flood has caused a huge loss to physical infrastructure.'
Nepal's army and police deployed helicopters and rescued at least 55 people from the area. Power outages were also reported after several hydropower facilities sustained damage.
Deadly monsoon season
Nepal's rugged terrain makes it highly vulnerable to flash floods, particularly during the monsoon season that runs from June to September. Officials say disasters have become more severe in recent years due to shifting climate patterns, including erratic rainfall and glacial lake outbursts.
In 2023, monsoon-related disasters killed at least 495 people across Nepal, according to government data.
This year's monsoon rains have also devastated parts of northern India. The worst-affected region has been the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, where nearly 80 people have died and at least 35 remain missing since June 20.
India's home ministry reported that at least 14 people were killed in flood-related incidents across five states over the past 24 hours.
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