The Thame River in Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality-5 of Solukhumbu continues to erode the surrounding coastal areas, despite a reduction in water levels since the devastating flood that struck on Friday afternoon. The ongoing erosion is affecting both the Khumbu and Lower Solu regions.
According to Laxman Giri, Police Inspector of the District Police Office, the flood has already caused significant destruction. Twenty houses and lodges, along with a health post and a school, have been swept away in Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality. The local power project’s powerhouse was destroyed, and a 200-meter section of the trekking route from Phakding to Namche Jame has been washed away.
In response, Deputy Superintendent of Police Dwarika Prasad Ghimire reported that personnel from the Nepal Army and Nepal Police have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. So far, 93 people have been rescued from the flood-affected areas and provided shelter in an army camp, while 42 others are being housed in a local community building. Additionally, five families from Mapyadudhkosi Rural Municipality-6 have been relocated by police.
The floods also damaged the Mapya-Khumbu Friendship Bridge over the Dudhkosi River, which connects Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality with Mapyadudhkosi Rural Municipality. This damage has disrupted the direct road network from Saleri to Khumbu, further complicating rescue and relief efforts.
Lamakaji Sherpa, Chairperson of the Everest Pollution Control Committee, suggested that the flood may have been triggered by a glacial lake outburst in the Khumbu region.
Chief District Officer Devi Pandey Khatri has announced that a team from the Central Disaster Management Committee, along with Defense Minister Manbir Rai, is scheduled to arrive today for an on-site inspection of the flood-affected areas.
