Flood at Nepal-China border: Miteri Bridge collapses, 7 dead with 18 missing, cargo containers and vehicles swept away

bhaskarenglish.in
Tue, 08 Jul 2025 11:16 UTC

A flash flood occurred along the Nepal-China border early Tuesday morning, flooding the Bhotekoshi River and leading to the destruction of the Miteri Bridge and several parked vehicles.

A sudden flood struck the Bhote Koshi River at the Nepal-China border around 3 AM on Tuesday, leaving 18 people missing—12 Nepali and 6 Chinese nationals. Among the missing Nepalis are three police officers and nine civilians.

The incident occurred at the Rasuwagadhi border point in Nepal's Rasuwa district, severely impacting cross-border trade and infrastructure.

The main Miteri Bridge, a critical trade route connecting Nepal and China, collapsed in the flood. The customs office yard in Rasuwa also sustained heavy damage, with several parked cargo containers washed away. Though some trapped individuals have been rescued, floodwaters are hampering ongoing relief operations.

Nepal's Armed Police Force confirmed that eight electric vehicles were swept away from an EV charging station in Timure.

Additionally, landslides on the Pasang Lhamu Highway have washed away large sections of road, completely disrupting transportation.

More than 200 people died in floods last September

Power generation in the region has also been crippled. The Rasuwagadhi Hydro Power Projects have been severely damaged, halting up to 200 megawatts of electricity production.

Chilime Hydropower Company CEO Baburaja Maharajan stated that both the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli corridor projects were hit hard, with no immediate scope for resuming operations.

The economic loss is expected to be substantial, as millions of rupees' worth of trade occurred daily through the now-collapsed Miteri Bridge.

This disaster echoes the September 2024 floods and landslides that killed over 215 people across Nepal. That calamity had affected 44 of Nepal's 77 districts and caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, homes, and public services.

Comment: The Kathmandu Post reports:

Eighteen people have been reported missing and seven bodies recovered after a devastating flood struck Nepal's northern Rasuwa district, severely affecting the Rasuwagadhi border area, according to a Nepal Police update issued at 3 pm on Tuesday.

Among the missing are three Nepal Police personnel, six Chinese nationals, and nine civilians. A total of 55 individuals have been rescued from the flood-affected areas, authorities said.

The flood caused widespread destruction. The Miteri Bridge, a key piece of infrastructure linking Nepal and China, was swept away. Damage was also reported at the EV charging station in Timure, with an estimated seven to eight electric vehicles washed away by the waters.