Dozens of rescuers continued search operations along a mountain river in Nepal on Wednesday after monsoon floods swept away the country’s main border bridge to China, killing at least nine people and leaving 19 others missing.
The floods, triggered by heavy rainfall on Tuesday, destroyed the Friendship Bridge at Rasuwagadhi—Nepal’s primary trade link with China—located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of Kathmandu. Several homes and trucks parked at the border for customs checks were also washed away. Hundreds of electric vehicles imported from China had been awaiting clearance at the site.
According to the Rasuwa District Administration Office, nine bodies have been recovered so far. Rescue teams have saved 55 people, including four Indian nationals and one Chinese citizen. Among the missing are 13 Nepali citizens and six Chinese nationals, as confirmed by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
The Chinese Embassy in Nepal stated that the missing Chinese nationals and eight of the Nepalis were working on a China-assisted construction project near the border.
In response, Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, accompanied by senior ministers and officials, visited the affected area. Oli had earlier convened an emergency meeting, directing all relevant authorities and security forces to intensify rescue and relief efforts.
With the Rasuwagadhi route now severed, all cross-border trade through this key point has come to a halt. Goods must now be rerouted through India, creating significant logistical delays.
Nepal’s monsoon season, spanning June to September, regularly brings heavy flooding that damages infrastructure and threatens lives across the country.
