KATHMANDU, AUGUST 16
A devastating flash flood, accompanied by a mudslide and debris, swept through Thame village in Solukhumbu district on Friday afternoon, damaging nearly half of the settlement.
The disaster, which likely originated from the outburst of one of the many glaciers in the region's high altitudes, struck the Thame area around 1:25 PM.
Thame village, located in Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality-5, sits in a valley that was overwhelmed by sudden floodwaters and debris flow.
According to Laxman Adhikari, Ward Chair of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality-4, the exact cause of the flood remains unclear.
"There are a couple of glaciers about a two-hour walk above the valley, but due to harsh conditions, it is currently impossible to investigate the source of the outburst," Adhikari explained.
Locals speculate that rainfall at higher altitudes may have triggered the glacial outburst. "We will investigate the exact cause of the flooding in the next few days when the situation normalizes," Adhikari added.
The floodwaters, carrying a heavy load of mud and debris, surged down the mountainside with a deafening roar, giving villagers just enough time to flee to safer, higher ground.
Fortunately, the incident occurred during the day. Had it happened at night, human casualties would likely have been unavoidable. Although no lives were lost, about 50% of the village has been severely damaged, and the remaining houses are uninhabitable. Police said that a school, a health clinic, seven houses and five hotels have been swept away by the disaster.
Thame village, home to 45 households, is renowned for its association with legendary climbers, including Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, Apa Sherpa, Kami Rita Sherpa, and Lakpa Rita Sherpa. However, due to the off-season for tourism, there were very few people in the village, and they managed to flee to higher ground.
"Luckily, it's the off-season for tourism, so the area was relatively empty, which likely prevented any loss of life," Adhikari observed.
The villagers who fled to higher altitudes left all their belongings behind in the valley. They are now awaiting rescue under open skies, with nothing but the clothes on their backs in the harsh weather.
However, adverse weather continues to hinder rescue operations. "The weather is unfavorable, resulting in delays in rescue efforts," Adhikari noted, adding that the village is without electricity and internet connectivity.
Although a Nepali Army barrack is within a half-hour's walking distance, authorities were initially unable to establish contact with military personnel, he added.
An emergency meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee was held in Salleri to coordinate rescue operations and determine the next steps. In the late afternoon, it was decided to first dispatch a helicopter from Phaplu Airport with Armed Police Force personnel to the disaster area.
Meanwhile, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality also attempted to dispatch a helicopter from Kathmandu, carrying rescue personnel to the disaster site, Adhikari said. Additionally, a team of Nepali Army personnel was ready to be flown in from Itahari to conduct rescue and post-disaster management efforts, though poor weather has caused delays in their arrival.
After multiple delays, rescue efforts faced further setbacks as the helicopter dispatched from Kathmandu was unable to reach the district due to bad weather and had to return to Kathmandu, and the Nepali Army helicopter from Itahari couldn't take off. Meanwhile, the helicopter with APF personnel was also grounded due to the adverse weather.
"With the worsening weather and the passing hours, it's unlikely that any helicopter will be able to fly to the disaster area today," Adhikari informed.
Authorities have urged settlements along the Dudhkoshi River to relocate to safer locations.
The increased water flow in the Dudhkoshi River poses a potential threat to nearby settlements, warned the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) in its first alert issued at 2:30 pm. NDRRMA issued a second alert at 5:45 PM, notifying residents that the water level in the Dudhkoshi River had risen, according to the Rabuwabazar water level measuring center. The alert warned that the water level had crossed the alert threshold and urged everyone to stay safe and remain vigilant until further notice.
Security personnel have already been deployed to the site from Namche, the district headquarters, though the incident site is approximately five hours' walking distance from Namche, according to the District Administration Office, Solukhumbu.
According to authorities, by late afternoon, a team of Nepali Army personnel deployed to the incident site had rescued seven people from the flood. However, it has been reported that at least one person is still missing in the disaster area.
