Flash floods sent the Bhote Koshi River surging across the Nepal–China frontier early on 8 July, sweeping away the Friendship Bridge that links Rasuwagadi in Nepal with Gyirong in China’s Xizang region. Nepal Police said nine bodies had been recovered by Wednesday, while 19 people—including six Chinese nationals and three Nepali police officers—remained missing on the Nepali side. Chinese authorities reported a further 11 workers unaccounted for across the border. The torrent demolished customs yards and swept away several containers and vehicles parked for inspection, severing a trade artery that ordinarily carries hundreds of truckloads of Chinese goods toward Kathmandu. Officials warned that shipments may have to be rerouted via India until a temporary crossing can be installed. Rescue crews from both countries have airlifted or ferried 57 people to safety and moved about 350 residents from vulnerable settlements in Gyirong county. Helicopters, speedboats, drones and more than 300 emergency personnel are being deployed, but high water and a 100-metre stretch of submerged roadway continue to hamper access to the disaster zone. Meteorologists say the floodwaters may have been amplified by a glacial-lake overflow in Tibet following days of torrential rain. Nepal’s weather agency is analysing satellite data with Sentinel Asia to confirm the trigger. The incident underscores the heightened flood and landslide risks faced by Himalayan communities during the June-to-September monsoon.