Sensitive videos: A flood swept through a valley in the Himalayas in Nepal, leaving hundreds dead

A wave of water and mud swept through the Koshi River valley in the Nepali district of Rasuwa, carrying everything in its path. It occurred at nine in the morning, local time. The market, the customs office, the helipad, dozens of houses, and the bridge rebuilt at the end of last year disappeared under the current.

The first figures report 31 dead and about 400 missing. More than half of the missing are believed to be foreigners. Those watching the videos circulating online feel that the final toll will be much higher. The area has poor coverage and the routes are cut off, so authorities are working with incomplete data.

The most puzzling thing is that it hadn't rained in Rasuwa for days. The water came from the Tibetan side, crossed the border, and descended without warning. Exactly at the same point where something similar had already happened.

On July 8, 2025, a supraglacial lake overflowed due to that torrent and swept away the same border crossing. At that time, there were about 30 dead, one billion dollars in lost goods, four damaged hydroelectric plants, and the bridge destroyed. That reconstruction has just disappeared again.

Three hypotheses about the origin of the disaster

There are still no certainties. Local authorities and images from Sentinel satellites from August 24 point to an overflow of a glacial lake, known as GLOF, on the Tibetan slope. This is the explanation that is most often repeated.

Glaciologist Rijan Bhakta Kayastha from Kathmandu University offers another possibility: an avalanche of ice blocked the Lhende Khola and then burst. “The Lhende River was also blocked last year,” he explained, warning that confirming this could take days.

Nepalese Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal linked the flood to an earthquake that may have caused a landslide. So far, there is no seismic confirmation. Any of the three versions is plausible.

Only the Koshi basin contains 42 lakes considered potentially dangerous. In August 2025, Chinese authorities from Tibet and Nepali officials agreed on a warning system based on flow rates and monitoring of glacial lakes. As far as is known, the agreement did not help much this time.

An isolated valley and the need for help

The next hours will be critical. Destroyed roads, poor communication, and overwhelmed rescue teams turn the area into a hellish scene. The numbers of victims, nationalities, and material damages do not quite add up. Some Chinese media even claim that the problem is purely Nepali.

The bridge that was swept away by the current was called Miteri. In Nepali, that word describes a bond of ritual brotherhood between families that do not share blood. While the world watches the images in shock, Nepal needs just that: for international miteri to materialize into concrete and rapid aid.

The reconstruction of the bridge and the damaged infrastructure will again be a huge challenge. The repetition of the disaster in the same place, just a year later, leaves a bitter feeling. Early warnings existed on paper, but the reality of the valley prevailed once again.

For now, the only certainty is the pain of those who lost family members and belongings, and the certainty that the number of victims will continue to rise as search efforts progress in a devastated and hard-to-reach area.