A flash flood triggered by incessant rains for the past several days has affected thousands of people, inundated several villages and washed away 40 houses in Jiribam subdivision in Manipur's Imphal East district.
Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh has called for the establishment of a Himalayan authority involving all Himalayan nations, including India, Pakistan, and Nepal, to protect the fragile mountain range from destruction. He also criticised the four-laning of highways in Uttarakhand's Char Dham region, deeming it "reprehensible" due to its environmental impact. His appeal comes as Nepal grapples with devastating flash floods, highlighting the region's vulnerability.
"Everything was here before, but now there is nothing left," said Nayan Tiwari, one of many residents returning to flood-hit Galchhi in central Nepal to recover whatever belongings remain and to restore homes that once held their everyday lives.
Survivors of the recent devastating floods in Nepal share their harrowing experiences of escaping the raging waters, losing loved ones, and witnessing widespread destruction, as thousands remain missing and families struggle to rebuild their lives.
China has issued a Level-IV alert due to a newly formed barrier lake at the Tibet-Nepal border, warning of a high risk of breaching and flooding downstream areas. The lake, formed at the confluence of Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers, has accumulated an estimated two million cubic metres of water, with inflows expected to increase, raising concerns for areas including Gyirong Port.
Heavy rain triggered flash floods in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing three people and prompting the rescue of over 100 others. The floods also caused landslides and mudslides, disrupting traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the situation is being monitored by authorities.
Large tracts of land in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district was washed away in flash floods which occurred due to a cloudburst even as several parts of the state received moderate to heavy rainfall on Friday.
A new barrier lake has formed near the source of Nepal's Bhote Koshi River, with Chinese authorities warning of a potential breach. This poses a fresh flood risk to downstream areas in Nepal, prompting warnings for residents and calls for diplomatic consultations to manage cross-border glacier risks.
'God has given me a second life.'
As devastating flash floods swept through parts of Nepal, triggered by torrential rains and a surge in the Bhote Koshi River, Nepali residents and workers in Delhi spent Wednesday anxiously trying to reach family and friends back home, with reports of deaths and hundreds missing causing widespread worry.
Eight days after devastating floods in Nepal, families of the missing are resorting to symbolic funeral rites using effigies due to diminishing hopes of finding their loved ones and the destruction of their homes. The disaster has also led to a severe shortage of facilities for traditional mourning rituals in Kathmandu, forcing many to seek alternative arrangements or travel.
Rescue teams led by the Nepal army continue search operations to locate survivors from the August 26 disaster. 4,873 people remain missing.
Cloudburst-triggered landslide devastates Thathri town in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, damaging homes and shops, but no lives are lost.
The water rose from knee level to chest height within minutes before climbing even higher. Homes crumbled, cattle sheds collapsed and everything that could be carried away by the current vanished.
A devastating flood in Baireni, Nepal, transformed a school playground into a sea of sand and buried classrooms under sludge. Timely warnings from teachers, prompted by an upstream guardian, allowed 400 students to evacuate safely just before the flood hit. The school remains closed, covered in debris, while UNICEF estimates 17,000 children need humanitarian aid following the floods that killed over 900 people.
'We desperately want India to send the army as the evacuation process needs to be escalated immediately.'
Flash floods in Nepal, triggered by an ice and rock collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border, have devastated hydropower projects, leaving hundreds of workers stranded. Survivors recount terrifying escapes from rising floodwaters and tunnels, while international teams assist in ongoing rescue operations to locate those still missing.
Himachal Pradesh is on high alert with schools and colleges shut in several districts as heavy rainfall triggers landslides, flash floods, and road closures, prompting authorities to issue warnings and activate emergency centres.
In flood-ravaged Nepal, drones are playing an unprecedented role in disaster response, from airlifting bodies from inaccessible areas to delivering essential supplies and searching for trapped workers. This innovative use of UAVs is transforming humanitarian aid and rescue operations in the challenging Himalayan terrain.
With the death toll crossing 900 and nearly 4,000 people still missing, the trauma of loss, displacement and uncertainty is settling in among thousands of survivors, prompting the government to step up its mental health response.
Sanjay Sah, a 30-year-old employee, was rescued from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project in Nepal after nine days. He attributed his survival to chanting 'Hare Krishna' and was miraculously rescued on Krishna Janmashtami. Another worker, Kabir Maharjan, was also rescued but required further medical treatment. Sah, a foreman, stayed behind to ensure others' safety during the initial disaster.
The maximum damage has been reported from Mandi, Kangra and Chamba districts, he said, adding that so far 36 weather-related incidents have been reported from the state.
'The trigger for the flood was definitely natural, but the damage that it caused was human-made.'
The Sikkim Government has confirmed that 14 people have died so far in the flash floods that occurred in Sikkim in the early hours of Wednesday.
Twelve people, including climbers and support staff, are missing after an avalanche struck the base camp of the 7,126-metre Himlung Himal peak in Nepal's Manang district, with human casualties feared.
About 40 houses have been damaged in the flash floods in Pullorampara where the heavy downpour also triggered four landslips resulting in road blocks.
Of the 22 people rescued, 15 were trapped in Kathua and seven in Jammu district.
A group of 21 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu faced a terrifying ordeal during a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash when flash floods and mudslides struck Timure, Nepal. Despite being trapped in a raging torrent, a combination of miraculous coincidences, quick thinking, and the selfless heroism of a couple, Ratnakumar and Poonguzhali, ensured their survival. Indian and Tamil Nadu officials coordinated a swift rescue operation, bringing them safely back home.
Four vehicles, carrying members of a marriage party, were trapped in the flash flood due to heavy rains at Haripur Khol village in Paonta Sahib, said Deputy Commissioner Sirmaur, PS Chauhan.
At least eight people drowned and several others went missing after they were swept away in the Mal river due to flash floods during idol immersion on Vijayadashami Jalpaiguri, a senior official said.
Devastating Bhote Koshi floods in Nepal have led to a surge in recovered bodies, overwhelming morgues across several districts. Authorities are setting up temporary facilities and preparing for the management of unidentified remains as identification efforts continue.
Olympian and World Cup gold medallist archer Jayanta Talukdar and his one-month-old twin babies were rescued from their flood-hit apartment in Guwahati's Rukmininagar on Friday.
A villager was washed away in flash floods while 19 others were rescued from the swirling waters in Jammu and Poonch districts early on Friday morning.
Climate scientist Tapio Schneider advocates for expanding early warning systems beyond rainfall events to include other disaster triggers like flash floods, citing the recent Nepal floods. He highlights the inevitability of 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming and discusses the role of advanced climate modelling and AI in improving predictions and research, particularly for regions like India.
As heavy rains lashed Jammu region, authorities today sounded an alert about the possibility of flash floods and evacuated people living near swollen rivers.
Mini cloud bursts are marked by intense short spells which may not exceed 10cm in one hour-a classical definition by India Meteorological Department, he noted.
India has provided 68.5 tonnes of relief materials to flood-hit Nepal and sent technical teams, forensic experts and equipment to assist in search and rescue operations, the Indian embassy said.
So far, 28 deaths have been reported from Uttarkashi district alone, while three were killed in Chamoli district of Garhwal region after heavy floods devastated the region on
Flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, resulted in casualties and widespread damage, prompting rescue operations and relief efforts.
India's UPI International payment system is now playing a crucial role in humanitarian efforts, enabling seamless disaster relief donations from Indian users to Nepal's Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund, showcasing its growing global acceptance and utility beyond tourism. UPI IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: Unsplash Key Points UPI International, initially for Indian tourists, is now facilitating disaster relief donations to Nepal's Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. The embassy of Nepal in India is actively encouraging Indian users to utilise their UPI apps for these contributions. This marks a significant shift, expanding UPI's cross-border use case beyond tourism to include inbound collection for foreign governments. The move positions UPI International alongside global payment giants like Alipay+ and UnionPay for international aid. Donors need to activate the UPI International feature on their apps to transact, with amounts converted from INR to NPR.
