DEVASTATING WAVE ENGULFS VILLAGES, DEATH TOLL RISES TO 95

KATHMANDU, AUGUST 26 /SRNA/ - At least 95 people have been killed in a devastating flash flood that suddenly engulfed villages in northern Nepal, according to the latest police figures.

A powerful surge of water swept through villages in Nepal’s Rasuwa district early this morning, with the disaster also affecting the Tibetan side of the border.

Nepal’s Tourism Board said earlier today that more than 380 tourists have gone missing in the devastating floods in the country, TASS reported.

Authorities have warned that the death toll could rise further as rescue teams make progress in searching the affected area.

Footage that emerged after the disaster shows terrifying scenes, with huge amounts of water sweeping everything in its path away, leaving entire settlements cut off from the outside world.

Due to difficult access to the affected area, rescuers have been forced to use helicopters to evacuate people who, fleeing the rising waters, sought refuge on rooftops and other elevated areas.

Similar devastation was also reported on the Chinese side of the border, where flooding and a landslide hit the area around the Gyirong Port in Tibet.

According to preliminary reports, the flooding was caused by an avalanche of snow and rocks near the Nepal-China border, around 20 kilometres northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border crossing.

Although initial reports suggested that an earthquake had triggered a massive landslide that subsequently blocked a river and caused a sudden surge of water downstream, Nepalese experts warn that it is still not possible to determine with certainty what caused the disaster.

A professor and climate change researcher at Kathmandu University said preliminary assessments suggest that an ice avalanche may have fallen into the Lende River and blocked its flow, after which a sudden surge of water spilled into another river.

“This is not an ordinary flood. Judging by its nature, there is a very high likelihood that it was caused by an avalanche or the outburst of a glacial lake,” the professor said.

Authorities said the floods had destroyed numerous villages and damaged roads, bridges, and energy project sites in areas near Tibet.