The Nepalese Army has rescued about 350 workers and local residents who were trapped inside a tunnel near the Trishuli River, according to the country’s Prime Minister’s Office.
The tunnel is part of a hydropower project, while rescue teams are continuing efforts to evacuate about 100 other people still believed to be inside.
The disaster, reportedly triggered by a glacial collapse that unleashed a massive debris-laden surge downstream, has also heightened concerns in neighbouring India over the potential impact of Himalayan floods.
Several major Indian river systems, including the Gandaki, Kosi and Bagmati, originate in or flow through Nepal before entering the densely populated plains of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Bihar, regarded as India’s most flood-prone state, faces particular vulnerability because only about 35 per cent of the land contributing water to its major northern rivers through rainfall, streams and smaller waterways is located within the state. Much of the remaining catchment lies in Nepal and Tibet, according to Indian government data.
Experts warn that such disasters can have consequences beyond the immediate loss of lives and property. Floodwaters can carry huge quantities of sediment, raising riverbeds and placing additional pressure on embankments, potentially turning a Himalayan disaster into a major flooding emergency in India.
Meanwhile, the disaster has left families searching desperately for loved ones caught in the affected areas.
South African businesswoman Bavika Ramjee had travelled with the tour company Kailash Journeys on what was expected to be her first Hindu pilgrimage to the region.
Her brother, Bhavesh Ramjee, described the trip as a lifelong ambition for Bavika, whom he said was deeply spiritual and religious.
However, the tour group reportedly reached the Nepal-Tibet border around the time the floods struck and has since been out of contact.
Bhavesh said the family had contacted the embassy and checked lists of missing people while pursuing every possible avenue to establish her whereabouts.
He described the situation as “awful” as the family continues to await information about Bavika and other members of the group.