Road collapses on Nepal highway after landslide days after floods

A critical section of the Tribhuvan Highway, which connects Kathmandu to the western regions of Nepal, collapsed after four days of sustained flooding caused by the recent glacial outburst in the Himalayas. The sudden surge of meltwater from the glacier, which released an estimated 1.5 million cubic meters of ice and debris, had already damaged several bridges and culverts along the route. Engineers reported that the weakened roadbed, compromised by prolonged water saturation, failed under the weight of passing vehicles, leaving a 30‑meter wide gap that has halted all traffic.

Authorities have declared the area a disaster zone and are coordinating with the Nepal Army and the Department of Roads to secure the site and provide emergency assistance to stranded travelers. Rescue teams have begun clearing debris and assessing the structural integrity of nearby infrastructure, while officials urge commuters to use alternative routes. The collapse underscores the increasing vulnerability of Nepal’s transportation network to climate‑induced hazards, prompting calls for accelerated investment in flood‑resilient construction and early warning systems.