Satellite images reveal scale of flood devastation in Nepal villages

Satellite images released by a U.S. intelligence firm and a commercial provider show that a flash flood triggered by a glacier collapse on Wednesday devastated a 70‑kilometre stretch of the Trishuli River valley in central Nepal. The flood, which has killed more than 550 people and left hundreds missing, has obliterated villages, bridges, a hydroelectric power station and a key Nepal‑Tibet border crossing.

The most heavily damaged area is the border crossing near the village of Timure, where the river surged 100 metres above its normal level and swept away almost all structures. The satellite photos, taken by Vantor, show the crossing almost completely washed away. Ground‑level footage captured the moment a rush of water and debris destroyed buildings and forced residents to flee. The damage extends 2.5 kilometres upstream, where the valley walls rise up to 50 metres above the water line and most houses perched on the slope are now buried in mud.

Further downstream, 10 kilometres from the border, the village of Syapru Besi is covered in mud, rock and debris. Satellite imagery shows the loss of houses, a bridge and a hydroelectric power station. The town of Trishuli, 45 kilometres from the border, is largely gone. A satellite photo of the area reveals an entire neighbourhood washed away. Ground video shows a bridge collapsing and residents attempting to escape as the river rushed forward. Another clip captures people sheltering in a house while a torrent of water and floating debris pours past, with the building remaining intact as the flood recedes.

The flood’s source was a massive glacier collapse on the western flank of the Trishuli valley. Planet Labs imagery shows a large block of the glacier detaching and creating a path of rock and debris through which water rushed. The landslide stripped vegetation at heights of more than 300 metres above the riverbed, and the debris has formed a barrier lake at the base of the landslide. Chinese authorities have warned that the lake poses a significant risk of further flooding and has complicated rescue operations. A glaciologist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research noted that the lake’s surface area had not increased between Wednesday and Thursday, suggesting that water was draining through a visible channel and that the volume was not alarmingly large.

The extent of damage on the Tibetan side of the border is still unclear. The region is heavily controlled by China, which limits foreign media access. No verifiable footage has been found from that side of the river.

The satellite images, part of Vantor’s Open Data Program, provide an initial but comprehensive view of the destruction. Aid authorities are using the data to prioritize search and rescue operations, locate missing persons and recover the dead. The images also help officials identify the most heavily impacted villages and infrastructure, informing the allocation of limited resources in the aftermath of the disaster.