Sudden flood sweeps through Rasuwa, leaving Timure border area severely damaged

A sudden and massive flood swept through Timure in Rasuwa district on Wednesday morning, causing extensive damage to the border settlement, the Rasuwagadhi customs area and nearby infrastructure.

The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River at around 9 a.m., reportedly coming from the direction of China’s Tibet region. The sudden rise in water caused widespread destruction in Timure and the nearby Syafrubesi area, with vehicles, goods and other property washed away.

Rasuwa Assistant Chief District Officer Dhruva Prasad Adhikari said the scale of the flooding was unusually large and that the two settlements had suffered significant damage. Rasuwa Chief Customs Officer Rajendra Dhungana said numerous vehicles and goods kept at the customs premises were swept away. A recently constructed bridge was also destroyed.

भोटेकोसी नदी रसुवामा तिब्बत तर्फबाट ठुलो बाढी प्रवेश गरेकोले अर्को सूचना नआउँदासम्म त्रीशुली नदीको तटिय क्षेत्रका जिल्लाहरु नुवाकोट, धादिङ, चितवन, गोरखा लगायतका स्थानहरूमा उच्च सतर्कता सहित सुरक्षित स्थानमा रहन अनुरोध छ। pic.twitter.com/Zun6icZZCM

— Nepal Police (@NepalPoliceHQ) August 26, 2026

“The flood has caused huge damage. The market and customs area have been swept away,” Dhungana said.

Just a year ago, two catastrophic floods hit Bhotekoshi, wreaking havoc in Rasuwa killing at least ten people. 

The flood was a consequence of the sudden draining of a previously unnoticed ‘supraglacial’ lake.   

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Wednesday’s flooding was not caused by rainfall in Rasuwa.

Read also: A hidden glacier lake caused the deadly 2025 Bhotekoshi flood, scientists say

Senior meteorologist Meen Kumar Aryal said only light rainfall had been recorded at some locations in Rasuwa over the past 24 hours, with rainfall totals not exceeding 7 millimetres. He said authorities suspect that the flood may have been caused by the outburst of a glacial lake and that further investigation would be carried out to determine its exact cause.

The Timure-based Border Out Post (BOP) of the Armed Police Force, Nepal, has remained safe, but a team of personnel deployed on duty in the area has lost contact, according to APF officials.

APF Deputy Spokesperson Shailendra Thapa said the flood was unusually large and significant damage was believed to have occurred in Timure.

“The BOP in Timure is safe, but we have not been able to establish contact with the team deployed on duty,” Thapa said.

Security officials are continuing efforts to establish contact with the personnel and assess the situation in the affected area.

Meanwhile, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has warned residents living along rivers in Rasuwa and Nuwakot to remain alert following the sharp rise in water levels in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.

Binod Parajuli, chief of the department’s Flood Forecasting Section, said the flood could reach as far as Muglin and urged residents in riverbank areas of Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan to exercise extreme caution.

He also warned that travel along roads close to rivers, including sections of the Prithvi Highway, may need to be suspended as the flood moves downstream.

The Dhading District Administration Office has also urged residents and relevant agencies to remain alert after receiving a warning from the Rasuwa administration.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has called a meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management to assess the situation and coordinate the response. Two Nepal Army helicopters carrying medical teams have been dispatched toward the affected areas for possible rescue and relief operations, while private helicopters have been placed on standby.

Authorities are continuing to assess the extent of the damage and search for personnel who remain out of contact.