Modi Speaks To Nepal’s PM Balen Shah Over Deadly Floods

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah on Wednesday and conveyed his condolences over the loss of lives caused by a flash flood in Nepal.

In a post on X, Modi said he had spoken with Shah and conveyed India's solidarity with the people of Nepal during the crisis. He also said India remained ready to provide assistance for rescue and relief efforts.

The call came after a sudden flash flood swept through Nepal's Rasuwa district, washing away homes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure. At least eight people have died, while hundreds of people, including Indian nationals, have been reported missing.

Flood In Rasuwa

The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River from the Tibetan side of the border around 9 am, affecting Rasuwa and neighbouring Dhading and Nuwakot districts.

The Nepal Tourism Board said 384 travellers were reported missing, including 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali citizens. Among the foreign nationals reported missing were 105 Indians.

Search and rescue operations were launched with the Nepal Army assisting local authorities. Four bodies, three men and one woman were recovered from Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot, according to the police.

Cause Still Unclear

Officials said the flooding was not caused by heavy rainfall in Rasuwa itself. Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology was examining whether the sudden surge originated from the Tibetan side and could have been triggered by heavy rainfall, an avalanche or a glacial lake outburst flood.

Officials said the exact cause had not yet been established and warned that the risk of another surge from the Tibetan side had not disappeared.

India On Alert

The flood also prompted heightened preparedness in India's Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, downstream from Nepal.

Bihar activated high-level monitoring of the Gandak River after the surge in Nepal's upper catchment, while Uttar Pradesh alerted the border districts of Maharajganj and Kushinagar because of rising water levels in the Gandak and Narayani rivers.

The Bhote Koshi eventually flows into Nepal's Trishuli River, which enters India as the Gandak, making the sudden flood surge a concern for downstream communities.

Modi's call with Shah therefore comes as Nepal continues search and rescue operations while authorities on both sides of the border monitor the movement of floodwaters and prepare for possible downstream impacts.