A massive flood swept through Nepal’s northern Rasuwa district on Wednesday, destroying roads, damaging power infrastructure and raising concerns over the extent of destruction in the Himalayan region.

Videos from the area showed huge torrents of muddy water rushing through mountain valleys near the Chinese border, with authorities warning that several settlements may have been affected.

Police said the flooding was severe but that a full assessment of the damage was still underway. Residents living near riverbanks were urged to evacuate as authorities deployed available resources to the affected areas.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah convened an emergency meeting to coordinate the government’s response, while the Nepal Army deployed helicopters and rescue teams to assess the situation and assist with emergency operations.

The floods also disrupted Nepal’s energy sector, damaging an estimated 430 megawatts of power generation capacity from hydropower and solar facilities. Transmission and distribution networks were also affected, triggering widespread power outages.

Several highways were closed as floodwaters damaged key road links, further complicating access to affected communities.

Nepal and other parts of South Asia regularly experience deadly floods and landslides during the June-to-September monsoon season. Scientists have warned that climate change is contributing to more frequent and intense extreme weather events across the region.