Nepal flood disaster: 'We lost loved ones before our eyes'
Flash floods in Nepal leave 160 dead, 800 missing at Tibet border.
1Scale of the disaster
At least 160 people died and 800 are missing after sudden floods and landslides hit villages along Nepal's Tibet border on Wednesday. Seismologists initially mistook the event for an earthquake. Rescue teams continue search operations under thick mud and debris while authorities struggle to deliver emergency supplies to the affected area.
2Disappearing before eyes
Kalpana Malla from Nuwakot district told the BBC how her family was swept away: 'My father, mother, sister and nephews... They had no chance to escape. It took everything.' Her son Sugam Malla said he saved his mother by pulling her hand but couldn't reach his sister to whom he'd given his phone.
3Farmlands wiped out
Survivor Goma Pandit lost all her livestock and agricultural lands: '10 sacks of mustard seeds, tons of corn and rice paddies were submerged. Nothing remains.' Many villages in the region have lost their entire livelihoods to the disaster.
4Vigil at the hospital
Relatives of the missing anxiously wait for news at Kathmandu's TU Teaching Hospital. Ram Khumari Shrestha said her truck driver husband was last in contact at 8pm yesterday before his phone went dead. Mani Shrestha Bishwa awaits news of his younger brother, cousin, uncle and friend.
5One-hour difference
Guide Sonam Dorjee left Rasuwa Syafru village at 8am, hearing about the flood an hour later: 'It sounded like an earthquake.' Seeing photos of his collapsed house, Dorjee reported his sister Dechen Tamang, her husband and other relatives missing.
6Urgent needs
Most survivors are now homeless, requiring emergency rescue, evacuation, food, temporary shelter and medical support. Helicopters are transporting the injured to hospitals. Dorjee estimates just a '10% chance' his sister survived but hasn't lost hope.
7Regional vulnerability
This Himalayan foothill region frequently experiences landslides and flash floods during heavy rains, but a disaster of this scale hasn't been seen in decades. Scientific reports confirm climate change is intensifying extreme weather events in the area.
8International aid appeal
The Nepalese government has appealed for international assistance. Rescue teams from neighboring countries are mobilizing. UN data shows natural disasters in Nepal have affected 400% more people over the past 30 years. This tragedy again exposes the region's infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Original article: BBC News — Nepal'de sel felaketi: 'Gözlerimizin önünde sevdiklerimizi kaybettik'