Eighteen people have gone missing after a massive flood in the Lende river struck the Rasuwagadhi border point on Tuesday morning.
According to Dhruva Prasad Adhikari, assistant chief district officer of Rasuwa, the missing include three police personnel, nine civilians, and six Chinese nationals.
The torrential rainfall occurred upstream- in Chinese side- flooded the river that damaged the yard of Customs Office, Rasuwa, according to the Armed Police Force (APF). Nine loaded containers were swept away by the flood.
Some individuals trapped inside the customs yard were rescued, but ongoing operations have been hampered by the high floodwaters on all sides, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Shailendra Thapa, assistant spokesperson for the APF.
The flood swept away the Miteri Bridge that connects Nepal and China. Several cargo containers stationed at the customs yard were also washed away, police said.
The EV charging station at Timure has sustained damages, with some electric vehicles also carried away by the current. Damage has also been reported at the dam of the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, police said.
Local authorities have urged residents to remain alert as water levels in the river continue to rise.
The Syaphrubenshi-Rasuwagdhi section of Pasang Lhamu Highway is damaged at Gosaikunda Rural Municipality-2 of Rasuwa, thereby affecting the transportation of rescue equipment and forces.
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