After devastating flash flood swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa district from the Tibetan side, Nepali journalist Parshuram Kaphle has questioned China’s alleged failure to issue an early warning to Nepal, saying the lack of timely information may have worsened the loss of life and destruction.
Nepali Journalist Questions China
Reacting to the disaster, Kaphle criticised Nepal’s “northern neighbor” in a post on X, questioning why an early warning was not provided before such a large volume of water reached Nepal.
“Why should Nepal pay the price of one-sided love?”
Kaphle said Nepal had consistently taken into account the legitimate security concerns of its neighbours, but alleged that China had “significantly undermined” Nepal by failing to provide timely information about the approaching disaster.
He further argued that Nepal has repeatedly faced crises originating from Chinese territory while continuing to accommodate Beijing’s concerns, asking why Nepal should continue bearing the consequences alone.
Flash Flood Ravages Nepal’s Border Areas
A massive surge of water entered the Bhote Koshi River from the Tibetan side on the morning of August 26, devastating areas including Timure and Syabrubesi near the Nepal-China border.
The sudden flooding destroyed homes, vehicles, roads, bridges, customs facilities and hydropower infrastructure. Rescue and evacuation operations were launched as authorities issued alerts to communities located downstream along the river system.
Early reports put the death toll in Nepal at 16, while hundreds of people were reported missing. Several tourists and foreign nationals were also feared missing, with some reports saying 105 Indians were among those affected.
Helicopter rescue operations were reportedly hampered by the high water levels and difficult conditions.
China’s Side Also Hit By Flooding
The disaster was not confined to Nepal. Reports said China’s Gyirong area and port near the border were also severely affected, with casualties and people missing reported on the Chinese side.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out search-and-rescue operation and called for stronger disaster monitoring and early-warning systems following the flooding.
However, China has not publicly provided details establishing whether a specific early-warning failure occurred in this incident.
Concerns Over Cross-Border Flood Warnings
The Bihar government has sounded a high alert in several districts following a sudden increase in water flow in the Gandak River due to flash floods in its upper catchment area in Nepal. A high-level review meeting was chaired by Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, with district magistrates and police superintendents joining via video conferencing.
Districts including West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Muzaffarpur, and Vaishali have been directed to remain vigilant and complete relief and rescue preparations. Sitamarhi and Shivhar are also on alert. The Water Resources Department has been instructed to manage water flow through Gandak Barrage gates and canals.
NDRF and SDRF teams are being mobilised one NDRF team each for Gopalganj and Bettiah, while Muzaffarpur will have a team on standby. SSB DIG has assured quick response teams if required. District authorities have been directed to prepare evacuation plans, arrange boats, community kitchens, and shelters. The government has urged the public not to panic and directed DMs to hold daily media briefings and monitor social media to prevent rumours.
