KATHMANDU– At least eight people have died and 19 others are missing after flash floods struck Nepal’s Rasuwa district, Nepal Police reported on Tuesday.
Among the missing are 11 Nepali nationals, including two police officers, and six Chinese citizens.
The floods caused massive destruction to vital trade infrastructure along the Nepal-China border, severely disrupting the Rasuwagadhi–Kerung trade corridor—just ahead of Nepal’s major festival season.
Local traders fear the damages may total billions of Nepali rupees and are warning of a potential surge in the prices of imported goods, which could affect consumers during the upcoming holidays.
According to The Kathmandu Post, the Rasuwagadhi border typically sees the import of readymade garments, electronics, footwear, and electric vehicles.
Officials confirmed that the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge, a key trade link, was swept away by the floodwaters, along with several newly imported electric vehicles parked at the nearby dry port.
“At the moment, our focus is on search and rescue rather than damage assessment,” said Dhruba Prasad Adhikari, spokesperson for the Rasuwa District Administrative Office. “The ongoing bad weather has made aerial rescues by helicopter difficult, all communication networks are down, and the road infrastructure is completely paralyzed.”
Ganga Bahadur Ghimire, senior vice president of the Nepal Trans Himalayan Border Commerce Association, said the exact losses have yet to be calculated. However, early estimates suggest extensive damage.
“We’ve received reports that 40 to 50 electric vehicles have been submerged, 17 containers carrying apples have been washed away, and another 22 to 25 containers filled with footwear and electronics—some cleared by customs, some not—have been inundated,” Ghimire said.
“We’re not sure when the route will reopen. We urge the government to install a Bailey bridge as soon as possible so that stranded containers can be cleared and festival merchandise can reach the markets in time,” he added. (Source: IANS)
