Kathmandu, August 27: The impact of the devastating flood has also been felt in China’s Xizang Autonomous Region (Tibet). According to Chinese state media outlet People’s Daily, a landslide occurred on Wednesday near the Gyirong Port in the Xizang Autonomous Region of southwest China. People’s Daily reported that some people were feared missing in the landslide. The landslide blocked the road leading to Gyirong Port on the Chinese side. Local officials said that communications and electricity supplies were also affected. Gyirong Port is one of the major border points connecting China and Nepal by land.
More Than 300 Vehicles Swept Away from Customs Yard
The flood in Rasuwa swept away vehicles and other materials from the Rasuwa Customs Office. According to the Ministry of Finance, more than 300 vehicles, including trucks and other vehicles undergoing inspection at the customs yard, were swept away by the flood. The ministry said many other vehicles undergoing customs inspection in the customs area may also have been swept away. According to the ministry, the Rasuwa Customs Office has 36 permanent positions. Twenty-five employees, including Chief Customs Administrator Rajendra Dhungana, have been contacted. The remaining employees are out of contact, and a search is underway for them.
At Least 19 Bridges and 40 Kilometres of Roads Damaged
The massive flood in the Trishuli River has caused extensive damage to physical infrastructure in the area. The Department of Roads said at least 19 bridges along the Trishuli River corridor and surrounding areas were damaged by the flood and landslides. In addition, the flood destroyed or washed away at least 40 kilometres of roads along various sections, either completely or partially. The extensive damage has brought transportation in the area to a complete halt. After the road network was disrupted, the Department of Roads began efforts to reopen blocked routes and carry out temporary repairs to damaged structures. The department has rapidly deployed heavy machinery and equipment to clear landslides and reopen roads at locations where roads and bridges have been damaged.
The department said work had begun by deploying the necessary machinery and technical teams at various sensitive locations in the affected areas. The difficult terrain and continued adverse weather have made the task of reopening the disrupted roads extremely challenging. In many places, the foundations of roads have been washed away and bridges have suffered severe damage, making it difficult to restore transportation services immediately. The Department of Roads has urged the public to exercise caution when travelling through high-risk areas and to travel only after obtaining the latest information about road conditions.
Human Toll Beyond Imagination
The Rasuwa flood has caused a huge loss of human life. However, no exact figures on casualties had been released by late Wednesday. Although some bodies have been recovered from various locations, there was no information on how many people were missing or where they were missing. Security chiefs, chief district officers and local government chairpersons in the affected areas said the human and physical damage was unimaginable. However, they said it was impossible to provide an exact figure at this stage. Following the flood, some police personnel deployed on duty from Armed Police Force border outposts have been out of contact. The flood caused extensive damage to the Area Police Office in Timure and the police posts in Syafrubesi and Rasuwagadhi.
A large number of tourists have gone missing following the sudden flood in the Bhotekoshi River. According to an update available late Wednesday, the status of 384 tourists and trekkers remained unknown, the Nepal Tourism Board said. According to the board, 291 of those missing are foreign nationals and 93 are Nepali citizens. Tourist police and other concerned agencies are coordinating search and rescue efforts for tourists in the affected areas, the board said. The missing foreign tourists include nationals of India, Australia, the Netherlands, the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and South Africa. The nationalities of some tourists have yet to be established.
The ministry said 100 emergency beds had been allocated at Bir Hospital and the Trauma Centre in Kathmandu for flood victims. It also said that injured people had so far been rescued and brought to Kathmandu. Coordination is also underway with federal hospitals in Kathmandu, blood transfusion centres, the health ministries of Bagmati and Gandaki provinces, the Nepal Red Cross, Lions and Nepal Scouts for emergency health services.
12 Hydropower Plants Damaged
The flood in the Bhotekoshi River has damaged 12 hydropower plants. Rajan Dhakal, spokesperson for the Nepal Electricity Authority, said six hydropower plants and one solar plant had suffered direct damage from the flood. Electricity generated by the remaining facilities had been disconnected from the national grid, he said. Damage to 11 hydropower plants and one solar plant resulted in 431.1 megawatts of electricity being disconnected from the national grid. The flood also damaged the national transmission line. The affected projects include Rasuwagadhi (111 MW), Salasungi (78 MW), Upper Sanjen (14.8 MW), Sanjen (42.5 MW), Chilime (22 MW), Langtang (20 MW) and Upper Trishuli 3A (60 MW). They also include Upper Mailung (14.8 MW), Mailung (5 MW), Trishuli (24 MW), Devighat (14 MW) and a solar system (25 MW).
Following the damage to hydropower projects, the government is preparing to purchase additional electricity from India through the ‘real-time’ market, based on immediate demand and supply requirements. As domestic electricity generation has fallen sharply because of the flood, the government is preparing to seek India’s assistance through diplomatic channels to ensure a smooth electricity supply to the national grid and prevent unannounced load-shedding.
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