Hundreds Missing After Floods and Landslides Hit Nepal's Nuwakot District

Communities along Nepal’s Trishuli River are grappling with catastrophic damage after a sudden surge of water and debris swept through the valley on Tuesday, destroying bridges, inundating homes and leaving hundreds of residents unaccounted for. The flash flood, triggered by intense monsoon rains in the central region, breached riverbanks near the towns of Bidur and Dhading, submerging low‑lying settlements and cutting off vital road links that connect the area to the capital, Kathmandu. Local authorities reported that at least three major bridges have collapsed, isolating villages and hampering ground‑based rescue operations.

In response, the Nepalese army, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority and several non‑governmental organizations deployed teams to the hardest‑hit zones, while a fleet of helicopters was mobilised to air‑lift injured victims to hospitals in Kathmandu and nearby medical facilities. Rescue crews have so far recovered dozens of bodies and are continuing to search for the missing, whose numbers are estimated in the hundreds. Emergency shelters have been set up in schools and community centres, and the government has appealed for additional aid to support displaced families and restore critical infrastructure.

Officials emphasized that the situation remains fluid, with after‑effects of the flood still threatening downstream communities. Ongoing assessments aim to determine the full extent of the damage and to coordinate longer‑term reconstruction efforts. International assistance has been pledged, and authorities are urging residents to avoid the riverbanks until safety checks are completed.