Assessing Damage from Massive Bhotekoshi Flood Will Take Time, Insurance Claims Could Run into Hundreds of Millions

Kathmandu — A massive flood has swept into the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa from the Tibet side. Details of the damage caused by the sudden flooding are still awaited, and the scale of the destruction is expected to be significant. Insurance companies estimate that claims worth hundreds of millions of rupees could be filed for major infrastructure projects, including hydropower and construction projects. Balen Shah has said that the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilized to speed up rescue and relief efforts following the flooding in Rasuwa.

Shah said through a Facebook post that additional security personnel from the affected area and other districts have also been deployed to the affected areas.

Chief District Officer Narendra Pariyar said that extensive damage had been reported. “The flood came suddenly. A lot of things have been damaged,” he said. “We have received reports that hydropower projects downstream have been swept away. There are also reports that floodwaters have entered settlements. A lot of things have been damaged.”

He said the flood may have originated from the Chinese side, as there had been no significant rainfall in the Nepali territory. “There was no major glacier on our side. It is said to have come from across the border,” he said. “There was no significant rainfall here either. There was some light rain around Dhunche last night, but not enough to cause a flood like this.”

Rescue operations have also been difficult at present. “An Army helicopter has already gone for an inspection,” he said. He added that efforts were underway to assess the extent of the damage.