For families in India, the Nepal flood disaster has become a wait for a phone call.
At least 162 people have died in Nepal, according to the latest reports citing Nepal Police, while hundreds remain missing after a sudden flash flood tore through the Himalayan border region.
Among those reported missing are 133 Indians, according to Nepalese authorities cited in Indian media reports. Seventy-seven people from a group associated with spiritual leader Jaggi Vasudev are also reported missing. All of them were travelling as Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims.
Many Indians travel through Nepal on their way to Tibet, including pilgrims headed towards Mount Kailash. With roads washed away and communications disrupted in parts of the affected region, relatives have been left waiting for news.
The worst destruction has been reported in Rasuwa district, where the Bhote Koshi river suddenly surged through areas including Timure, Syafrubesi and Rasuwagadhi. Homes, vehicles, bridges and roads were swept away, while hydropower infrastructure was also damaged.
As per reports, the floods came with little warning, leaving people with only minutes to escape. One survivor told Reuters that his wife was swept away when the mud and water entered their home.
India moves to help
New Delhi has moved quickly to assist both Nepal and Indians affected by the disaster.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah, expressed condolences over the loss of life and offered India’s assistance for rescue and relief operations.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is coordinating with Nepalese authorities to trace Indian nationals and assist those stranded in the affected region.
India has also stepped up preparedness at home.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the chief ministers of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as authorities monitored the possibility of increased water levels in rivers flowing from Nepal. Disaster-response teams, including the NDRF, have been placed on alert in vulnerable areas.
For Bihar, the Gandak river system is a particular concern because it carries water from Nepal into the Indian plains. Authorities are monitoring river levels and preparing for any downstream impact.
Glacier collapse behind sudden surge
The cause of the disaster has also become clearer.
Satellite imagery from India’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO, points to a glacier collapse in the upstream Himalayan region. The images show the collapse zone, a swollen Bhote Koshi river and extensive flooding downstream.
The development is significant because an earthquake was initially suspected to have triggered the disaster. The US Geological Survey has since ruled out an earthquake as the cause, saying the seismic signal was generated by the collapse itself.
Reuters has reported that an ice-and-rock collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a huge surge of water and debris downstream.
Rescue race continues
Nepal’s rescue teams are now working through mud, wreckage and damaged roads to reach survivors and locate those still missing.
Helicopters are being used to reach isolated areas, while security personnel are searching buildings, riverbanks and debris for survivors.
The scale of destruction means the final toll could rise further as rescuers gain access to areas that remain difficult to reach.
For Nepal, the immediate task is to find survivors.
For India, the crisis has two faces: bringing its citizens home safely and making sure the flood does not turn into a second disaster downstream.
