A Greek resident living in Nepal has described the terrifying moments when a torrent of water, mud and rocks swept through communities near the Nepal-China border, as satellite images reveal the devastating scale of floods that have killed at least 160 people.
The Greek resident told Greek television network MEGA that the disaster unfolded in just five minutes after a huge section of rock detached from a glacier, causing an entire lake to empty into the valley.
“Millions of tonnes of water came down and swept away everything in their path. We are talking about a huge disaster,” he said, describing how the torrent swept through villages and cities, destroying bridges, banks, schools and other infrastructure.
His account comes as authorities continue desperate search and rescue operations across Nepal, with hundreds of people still missing and fears growing over the possibility of another flood wave.
Satellite images taken before and after the disaster show how violently the landscape changed within minutes.
The disaster occurred after a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck the area, with a landslide blocking a river and triggering a catastrophic surge of water, mud and debris that swept away people, homes, roads and infrastructure.
The death toll has reached 160, while hundreds of people remain missing.
According to police, authorities have recovered bodies in the following areas:
- 3 in Rasuwa
- 13 in Nuwakot
- 27 in Dhadhing
- 64 in Chitwan
- 19 in Gorkha
- 9 in Tanahun
- 22 in East Nawalparasi
Police also reported that 49 injured people remain in hospitals, while more than 3,300 police officers have deployed to assist with rescue and relief operations.
Security cameras on the Chinese side of the border captured people running to safety shortly before a torrent of water, mud and rocks engulfed the area.
Greek Resident Says He Passed the Same Road One Day Earlier
The Greek resident described the scale of the disaster and said he had travelled along the same road just one day before the flood.
He had planned to cross it again the following morning.
“By complete coincidence, I travelled along this road yesterday. I was supposed to cross it again this morning, but perhaps God intervened,” he said.
He also said he had contacted the Greek Embassy but had received no information indicating that any Greek citizen had been affected by the disaster.
The resident spoke of thousands of possible deaths and a large number of missing people, expressing fears for those swept away by the enormous torrent.
Authorities Fear Another Flood Wave
Authorities face another serious threat: the possibility of a second flood wave.
A huge volume of debris remains accumulated along the riverbanks, raising fears that another collapse could release even greater quantities of water and mud.
Heavy rain and difficult conditions have hampered rescue efforts. Helicopters have failed to reach some of the worst-affected areas, while continued rainfall has kept river levels dangerously high.
Search and rescue operations continue across Nepal. The missing include foreign travellers, among them more than 130 Indians, as well as citizens of the United States and Britain.
What Caused the Deadly Flood?
The collapse of a large section of a glacier may have triggered the sudden catastrophic flood near Nepal’s border with Tibet.
Satellite images indicate that part of the glacier broke away at an altitude of approximately 5,200 metres before plunging into a valley around 1,200 metres below.
Experts who examined satellite imagery from Planet Labs believe Wednesday’s deadly flood probably began when the lower section of a glacier collapsed, carrying huge quantities of rocks and sediment with it.
The precise cause of the collapse remains unclear. However, Nepalese authorities are investigating whether the event may have links to the earthquake that struck the area only minutes earlier.
China Mobilises Rescue Teams
China has mobilised hundreds of rescuers and dozens of vehicles in Gyirong, where the landslide caused extensive damage to roads, communications networks and power infrastructure.
Initial assessments indicate that roads leading to the border crossing have suffered major destruction.
Nepal Deploys Police and Army
Police and the army are taking part in the rescue operations, according to Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah.
Authorities have instructed officials to move people living in low-lying areas to safer locations. Residents living along the river have also received warnings to remain particularly vigilant.
Shah urged people to remain patient, stressing that the government had taken full responsibility for rescue operations, medical care, shelter and food.
“Faced with such a disaster, we must all remain united,” Shah said.
