Eight dead, dozens missing as floods destroy Nepal-China friendship bridge

Chinese workers missing at Nepal depot site; containers swept away in floods, causing major property loss

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At least eight people were killed and over two dozen remain missing after the Bhote Koshi River flooded on the Nepal-China border, sweeping away the "Friendship Bridge" that connects the two countries, officials said on Tuesday.

Despite no heavy rainfall in the immediate area, experts suspect the flooding was triggered by an overflowing glacial lake in Tibet following torrential rains. Nepalese police confirmed the recovery of eight unidentified bodies and the rescue of 57 individuals, with search and rescue operations ongoing.

At least 20 people are reported missing in Nepal, including six Chinese workers and three police officers, according to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). In China, state media reported 11 missing on the other side of the border.

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The Chinese nationals were working on the Inland Container Depot under construction with Chinese assistance, located about 80 km north of Kathmandu. Arjun Paudel, a senior local official in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, said containers carrying Chinese imports were also swept away. "There is a big loss of property and we are collecting details," he said.

Trade between Nepal and China has been disrupted due to the bridge's destruction. The Bhote Koshi River area is a key transit route for goods between the two countries.

China, which has significantly increased investment in Nepal in recent years, has also been battling heavy rain and flash floods, with more severe weather expected due to an approaching tropical storm.

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Nepal’s weather authorities are working with Sentinel Asia, an international initiative using satellite data for disaster response, to investigate the exact cause of the flood.

Meanwhile in Pakistan, floods and rain-related incidents, including landslides and house collapses, have claimed at least 79 lives since June 26, the National Disaster Management Authority said. The dead include 38 children. Fresh alerts have been issued for flash floods and glacial lake outbursts in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to rising temperatures and an approaching weather system.