Over 100 Indians were reported missing after a massive flash flood swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa district near the Tibet border on Wednesday, killing at least eight people and causing widespread damage to settlements and infrastructure.The sudden surge in the Bhote Koshi River struck the Rasuwagadhi-Timure area at around 9 am local time, affecting Rasuwa as well as parts of neighbouring Nuwakot and Dhading districts.The flooding washed away vehicles, goods, bridges and other infrastructure, while several hydropower projects were also damaged.105 Indians missingAccording to a preliminary list compiled by the Nepal Tourism Board, 384 travellers, including 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali nationals, have been reported missing following the flash flood, NepalNews reported.Of the foreign nationals, 105 are from India. The list also includes travellers from Australia, the Netherlands, the US, Malaysia, the UK and South Africa, while the nationalities of some others are yet to be confirmed.The Tourism Board said the list is preliminary and is being verified in coordination with travel agencies, guides, local authorities and security agencies. It urged travellers and their families not to draw conclusions until the verification process is complete.Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims among those missingA large number of those out of contact are believed to be pilgrims travelling to Tibet for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.Bashu Kumar Adhikari, managing director of Kathmandu-based Touch Kailash Travels & Tours, said 390 pilgrims, including 93 Nepalis, were scheduled to cross the border on Wednesday.“Except for a few, we have not been able to establish contact with the pilgrims as of 3pm,” Adhikari said, according to The Kathmandu Post.Sagar Pandey, president of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, said efforts were underway to contact the pilgrims and assess their condition.Several dead, rescue operations under wayAt least eight people have been confirmed dead, while more than 25 people had been rescued by Wednesday afternoon, according to Nepal Army officials cited by local media.Four bodies were recovered from Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot and were found near the Trishuli river, according to police.The Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilised for search-and-rescue operations. As many as 14 helicopters have been deployed, while drones and sniffer dogs are also being used to locate missing people.The Nepal Army said six people were rescued from Syafrubesi, two from Mailung and four from Dhunche in Rasuwa. It has also set up a treatment centre at the Military Training Centre No 1 in Trishuli to provide emergency medical care.Four Armed Police Force personnel were initially reported missing from Rasuwa, while another report said nine personnel stationed at Timure, near the Nepal-China border, were unaccounted for.What caused the flash flood?The exact cause of the sudden rise in the Bhote Koshi River remains unclear. Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said the flooding was not caused by rainfall in Rasuwa.Officials are examining whether it could have been triggered by a glacial lake outburst flood, a landslide or another event on the Tibetan side of the border.Dinkar Kayastha, information officer at the department, said, “We are still studying the matter, so the real cause is not yet known.”He also warned that the risk from the Tibetan side had not disappeared and said, “we need to be cautious.”Officials have received informal information that a landslide may have temporarily blocked a river in Tibet before the swollen water burst through, but this has not yet been confirmed.Widespread damage, villages washed awayRasuwa has emerged as the worst-hit district, with Timure and Syafrubesi among the areas suffering extensive damage. Vehicles and goods stored at the customs premises were swept away and a recently built bridge was destroyed.Several settlements along the river have also been affected, including Syaphrubesi, Betrawati, Mailung, Salletar, Shantibazar, Pairebesi, Khalti Basti, Sole, Trishuli and Battar.A bridge in Gajuri in Dhading district was also washed away.The flash flood has severely affected Nepal’s trade route with Tibet, with infrastructure at Rasuwagadhi, an important border crossing with China, damaged in the disaster.Hydropower projects damagedThe flooding has also hit Nepal’s hydropower sector. According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal, eight operational hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 354 MW and five projects under construction in Rasuwa and Nuwakot were damaged.Among the affected operational projects are the 111-MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, 78-MW Sanjen Khola Hydropower Project and 60-MW Upper Trishuli 3A project.Authorities issue safety warningNepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has placed several downstream districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitawan and Gorkha, on high alert.Authorities have urged people living near the Trishuli and other rivers to stay away from riverbanks and move to safer areas. Tourists in the affected regions have also been advised to remain calm, stay informed and follow official safety instructions.As per local media, those needing emergency assistance can contact 1234, 1144 or the Tourist Police at 9851289445, or inform the nearest police or security post, local administration, travel agency, guide or tour operator.