Kathmandu: A sudden and massive flood swept through northern Nepal on Wednesday morning, causing extensive damage in a border settlement and prompting authorities to put several downstream districts on high alert.

The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River around 9 am (local time), reportedly from the direction of Tibet. The sudden rise in water caused extensive damage in Timure in Rasuwa district and nearby Syafrubesi, washing away vehicles, goods and other property, the Nepal Army said.

Rasuwa lies around 125 km northeast of Kathmandu, near the Tibet border.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has urged people living near riverbanks in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan and Gorkha to remain vigilant and take necessary safety measures until further notice.

Rasuwa Assistant Chief District Officer Dhruva Prasad Adhikari said the scale of the flooding was unusually large and the two settlements had suffered significant damage. Rasuwa Chief Customs Officer Rajendra Dhungana said several vehicles and goods stored at the customs premises were swept away, while a recently constructed bridge was also destroyed.

The Prime Minister’s Office said personnel from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilised in Rasuwa and surrounding areas for rescue and relief operations. A high-level meeting is also being convened to assess the situation and coordinate further response.

The Nepal Army has dispatched two helicopters towards areas near the Trishuli River for search and rescue operations. An MI-17 helicopter equipped with an Emergency Medical Rescue Team has also been sent towards the district hospital in Trishuli.

Authorities are still assessing the extent of the damage, with detailed information yet to emerge.

The flooding comes a year after devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi area killed at least 10 people. That incident was attributed to the sudden drainage of a previously undetected supraglacial lake.

According to Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Wednesday’s flooding was not caused by rainfall in Rasuwa.