Search efforts continue under a national rescue operation led by security forces, with Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli visiting the site. Trade via Rasuwagadhi has halted indefinitely, forcing reliance on longer supply routes through India.
A catastrophic combination of a glacial lake outburst in Tibet and widespread monsoon rains has unleashed devastating floods and landslides across Nepal, washing away critical infrastructure and severing ten major highways nationwide.
Officials reported at least eight Nepali nationals killed and over two dozen missing, with several bodies recovered and multiple people rescued. The torrents also carried away parked trucks, electric vehicles awaiting customs clearance, and residential houses at the border. Search efforts continue under a national rescue operation led by security forces, with Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli visiting the site. Trade via Rasuwagadhi has halted indefinitely, forcing reliance on longer supply routes through India.
Glacial flood destroys Miteri “Friendship” Bridge
On Tuesday, a flash flood in the Lhende River – fed by an overflowing glacial lake in Tibet after torrential rain—swept downstream into Nepal’s Rasuwagadhi region, obliterating the Miteri Bridge that forms a vital link along the Galchi–Trishuli–Mailung–Syaphrubesi–Rasuwagadhi trading corridor. This bridge is essential for trade and movement between China and Nepal.
Ten major highways are now blocked and transport networks are in disarray.
According to Nepal Police Headquarters, the following major routes are now completely blocked:
- Koshi Highway (Sankhuwasabha)
- Mechi Highway (Panchthar)
- Pasang Lhamu Highway (Rasuwa)
- Kanti Highway (Makawanpur)
- Darwang Road (Myagdi)
- East–West Highway (Nawalparasi)
- Bheri Corridor (Dolpa)
- Jajarkot–Dolpa–Bheri Corridor (Rukum West)
- Jay Prithvi Highway (Bajhang)
- Miteri Bridge section on the Galchi-Rasuwagadhi corridor.
In addition, four more road sections were blocked overnight due to heavy rainfall—these include Koilabas–Lamahi and Arjhun Khola–Ghorahi–Holeri–Gharti Gaun–Thawang–Lukum under the Shahid Marga Road Project. A significant landslide at Kharibot, Rolpa, has dumped massive boulders obstructing the Shahid Highway, though machinery is en route.
Some previously affected routes have reopened to one‑way traffic:
- Banepa–Nala–Bhaktapur
- Kaligandaki Corridor in Baglung and Gulmi
- Shahid Highway in Rolpa.
Authorities are now managing directional flows to ease congestion and ensure safety.
Floods strike additional districts overnight
Following intense rainfall Tuesday night, four more sections suffered new blockages:
- In Panchthar, the Hewa River overflow obstructed Kechana–Chandragadhi–Charali–Ilam–Phidim and Ganeshchowk–Taplejung–Olangchungola roads. Once waters recede, machinery and laborers will clear the routes.
- In Salyan, flash flooding in Chorkhola cut access on the Amelia–Tulsipur–Sheetalpati–Tharmare–Musikot section of the Rapti Highway.
The Department of Roads confirmed that 72 roads are currently partially operational (one‑way), five completely blocked, and 75 remain fully open.
The scale of destruction is immense:
- Miteri Bridge and surrounding roads were eroded by a massive flood surge from China’s side.
- Machinery has been dispatched to landslide-hit zones like Rolpa’s Kharibot.
- In Panchthar and Salyan, specialized equipment and labor will soon resume efforts once floodwaters subside.
No timeline has been announced for full reopening of the key Nepal‑China corridor.
Wider implications bring national concern
This dual tragedy – a glacial lake burst and monsoon-triggered disasters – has plunged Nepal’s road network into unprecedented turmoil. With trade stalled at Rasuwagadhi, communities isolated in remote hilly regions, and rescue operations stretched thin, the magnitude of the crisis is clear.
Infrastructure damage is vast: bridges destroyed, highways severed, and entire regions left cut off. Moreover, the human toll continues to rise, with dozens dead or unaccounted for.
Authorities have urged communities, especially those in river corridors and high-risk districts, to remain alert and avoid travel until routes are declared safe. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology forecasts continued rainfall over coming days, potentially worsening the situation.
A government official said that Nepal is at a critical juncture. He said that rescue and recovery operations are pushing ahead, while restoration of key transport lifelines – most notably the Nepal‑China trade corridor – remains a top priority. “The next two to three days will be decisive in determining whether blocked highways and devastated communities can return to connectivity or if the nation will endure prolonged isolation.”
