Floods sweep away 18 people and bridge linking Nepal to China
Several missing as major bridge destroyed in Nepal floods
- A flooded mountain river in Nepal destroyed the main bridge linking the country with China, sweeping away at least 18 people and halting trade.
- Among those swept away were 12 Nepalis and six Chinese nationals, with a further 11 Chinese citizens reported missing on the Chinese side of the border.
- The Bhotekoshi river's overflow destroyed the Friendship Bridge at Rasuwagadi, 120km north of Kathmandu, also damaging houses, vehicles and goods containers.
- The flooding is suspected to be from an overflowing glacial lake in Tibet, rather than local heavy rainfall, with rescue operations and damage assessments underway.
- This incident follows severe monsoon-induced flooding across the region, which has also caused significant damage and casualties in India and Pakistan.