Bihar on alert after Nepal flash flood, officials told to monitor Gandak and Kosi rivers closely
The Bihar government is also closely monitoring flood-related developments in Nepal, as changes in water levels upstream could affect downstream areas of the state.
- Aug 26, 2026,
- Updated Aug 26, 2026 3:04 PM IST
Bihar has stepped up flood preparedness after a flash flood hit Nepal's Rasuwa district, with the state keeping a close watch on the Gandak and Kosi rivers.
The Chief Secretary reviewed the situation with district magistrates and asked officials in flood-prone areas to remain alert and closely monitor river water levels.
Officials in districts affected by the Gandak and Kosi rivers have been directed to maintain heightened vigilance, according to an India Today update. The Bihar government is also closely monitoring flood-related developments in Nepal, as changes in water levels upstream could affect downstream areas of the state.
The alert comes after a massive flash flood swept through Nepal's Rasuwa district early Wednesday, killing eight people and damaging settlements and infrastructure along the Bhotekoshi river, according to a Reuters report.
Nine Armed Police Force personnel are also missing after the flood reached Timure near the Nepal-China border. Rescue teams have been deployed across the affected areas, while the Nepali government has sent two army helicopters to support search-and-rescue operations.
Multiple settlements affected
Chameli Gurung, deputy chair of Uttargaya Rural Municipality, said around a dozen settlements had been affected. These include Syaphrubesi, Betrawati, Mailung, Salletar, Shantibazar, Pairebesi, Khalti Basti, Sole, Trishuli and Battar.
Market areas, particularly Syaphrubesi, appear to have suffered some of the heaviest damage. Photographs and videos from the area showed damage to buildings and other infrastructure.
The flood also damaged the Area Police Office in Timure, the police post in Syaphrubesi and the police post at Rasuwagadhi, Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said.
The Nepali Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilised for rescue operations, while additional personnel are being brought in from other districts. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has also been activated, with medical teams, Scouts and the Red Cross asked to coordinate relief efforts.
Flood moves downstream
Nepal's Flood Forecasting Division said the flood entered the Bhotekoshi from the Tibet side of the border and had reached Galchhi in Dhading by Wednesday afternoon. It was expected to reach Muglin within hours.
Authorities warned people living along the Trishuli river to move away from vulnerable settlements and market areas and seek higher ground. The flooding could also affect traffic along the Prithvi Highway and the Muglin-Narayanghat road.
The exact time the flood began and what triggered it have not yet been confirmed. Sanjeev Adhikari, a meteorologist with the Flood Forecasting Division, said the flooding did not appear to have been caused by heavy rainfall in Rasuwa itself. Satellite imagery showed significant rainfall on the Tibetan side of the border, he told Kantipur.
Why Bihar is on alert
The Bhotekoshi river originates in Tibet and flows through Nepal before joining the Trishuli river system.
The river system eventually connects with the Gandak, making developments upstream important for areas downstream in India.
With the flood situation in Nepal still developing, Bihar authorities are therefore keeping officials in vulnerable districts on alert and monitoring river levels closely. The focus is on detecting any rise in water levels early and taking preventive measures in areas that could be affected.
Bihar has stepped up flood preparedness after a flash flood hit Nepal's Rasuwa district, with the state keeping a close watch on the Gandak and Kosi rivers.
The Chief Secretary reviewed the situation with district magistrates and asked officials in flood-prone areas to remain alert and closely monitor river water levels.
Officials in districts affected by the Gandak and Kosi rivers have been directed to maintain heightened vigilance, according to an India Today update. The Bihar government is also closely monitoring flood-related developments in Nepal, as changes in water levels upstream could affect downstream areas of the state.
The alert comes after a massive flash flood swept through Nepal's Rasuwa district early Wednesday, killing eight people and damaging settlements and infrastructure along the Bhotekoshi river, according to a Reuters report.
Nine Armed Police Force personnel are also missing after the flood reached Timure near the Nepal-China border. Rescue teams have been deployed across the affected areas, while the Nepali government has sent two army helicopters to support search-and-rescue operations.
Multiple settlements affected
Chameli Gurung, deputy chair of Uttargaya Rural Municipality, said around a dozen settlements had been affected. These include Syaphrubesi, Betrawati, Mailung, Salletar, Shantibazar, Pairebesi, Khalti Basti, Sole, Trishuli and Battar.
Market areas, particularly Syaphrubesi, appear to have suffered some of the heaviest damage. Photographs and videos from the area showed damage to buildings and other infrastructure.
The flood also damaged the Area Police Office in Timure, the police post in Syaphrubesi and the police post at Rasuwagadhi, Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said.
The Nepali Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilised for rescue operations, while additional personnel are being brought in from other districts. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has also been activated, with medical teams, Scouts and the Red Cross asked to coordinate relief efforts.
Flood moves downstream
Nepal's Flood Forecasting Division said the flood entered the Bhotekoshi from the Tibet side of the border and had reached Galchhi in Dhading by Wednesday afternoon. It was expected to reach Muglin within hours.
Authorities warned people living along the Trishuli river to move away from vulnerable settlements and market areas and seek higher ground. The flooding could also affect traffic along the Prithvi Highway and the Muglin-Narayanghat road.
The exact time the flood began and what triggered it have not yet been confirmed. Sanjeev Adhikari, a meteorologist with the Flood Forecasting Division, said the flooding did not appear to have been caused by heavy rainfall in Rasuwa itself. Satellite imagery showed significant rainfall on the Tibetan side of the border, he told Kantipur.
Why Bihar is on alert
The Bhotekoshi river originates in Tibet and flows through Nepal before joining the Trishuli river system.
The river system eventually connects with the Gandak, making developments upstream important for areas downstream in India.
With the flood situation in Nepal still developing, Bihar authorities are therefore keeping officials in vulnerable districts on alert and monitoring river levels closely. The focus is on detecting any rise in water levels early and taking preventive measures in areas that could be affected.