A devastating flood triggered by the sudden burst of a glacial lake in Tibet has caused massive destruction at the Rasuwagadhi border point of Nepal, submerging key customs infrastructure and sweeping away the Nepal-China friendship bridge (Miteri Pul) early Tuesday morning.

The flood, which surged through the Bhotekoshi River around 3:15 AM, has damaged both physical infrastructure and essential trade logistics at the Nepal-China border in Rasuwa district. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the disaster was caused by the sudden outburst of an artificial lake formed after blockage in the Lende stream on the Chinese side. As the lake burst, massive volumes of water poured into Bhotekoshi, rapidly raising water levels and triggering a devastating flash flood.

The Rasuwagadhi area, particularly the customs yard, has been completely submerged. Containers, vehicles, and goods stockpiled at the customs office were swept away by the floodwaters. The local administration and eyewitnesses confirmed that vehicles, trade goods - including consignments meant for the Dashain festival - were washed downstream, causing significant economic losses to traders.

“There are reports that the Miteri Bridge has been swept away. Customs infrastructure has suffered severe damage. We are still assessing the full scale of the destruction,” said Arjun Poudel, Chief District Officer of Rasuwa. He added that a team has been dispatched to the affected site for rescue and damage assessment.

According to local authorities, both the Nepalese and Chinese customs yards had a significant amount of goods in storage, many of which were targeted for the upcoming festive season. The submerged area includes customs vehicles and commercial containers that were stationed at the site.

The flood has also inflicted severe damage to the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project. Chief Engineer of the project, Satyaram Jyakhwa, informed that critical components like the powerhouse, dam, water intake tunnel, and protective structures have been heavily damaged. Teams are currently engaged in damage assessment and emergency response.

Ongoing Risk and Weather Alerts

The District Administration Office had already issued an early warning two weeks ago, anticipating the possibility of flooding due to continuous rainfall and rising water levels. The Chinese side had also alerted Nepali officials about the risk of increased discharge from the upstream river channels originating from Tibet.

Meteorologists have warned of continued rainfall in the coming days, which could further elevate the risk to nearby settlements and infrastructure along the Bhotekoshi River corridor. Authorities have urged residents of coastal and low-lying areas to remain vigilant and adopt precautionary measures.

Impact on Nepal-China Trade and Mobility

The destruction of the Miteri Bridge - one of the key land links between Nepal and China - has directly impacted the Rasuwagadhi border, one of the busiest trade and transit points for imports from China. The disruption is expected to delay the movement of goods and passengers, particularly during the critical pre-festival trading season, raising concerns among businesses already facing supply chain bottlenecks.

The Rasuwagadhi border is considered Nepal’s northern lifeline for essential imports including electronics, machinery, garments, and other consumer goods. The breakdown in transport infrastructure due to the flood will affect import-export logistics and overall trade volume between the two countries.

Rescue operations are underway, with security personnel, local administration, and hydropower project representatives coordinating relief efforts. The full extent of economic loss and infrastructure damage is expected to be clearer in the next few days as on-site assessments continue.