Belgian tour guide describes Nepal flood devastation: 'Entire villages wiped out'

The devastating floods in the border region between Nepal and Tibet have left a trail of destruction, with Belgian tour guide Yves Camps describing the scene as catastrophic. "Roads are destroyed, bridges are destroyed, entire villages are wiped out," Camps stated from Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital. The disaster has claimed at least 165 lives, with more than 1,000 people still missing.

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Roads are destroyed, bridges are destroyed, entire villages are wiped out.

Camps, who is located about 150 kilometers from the hardest-hit area, noted the constant presence of helicopters flying from the capital, indicating the primary mode of transport for aid. The destruction of infrastructure means that reaching affected areas is nearly impossible without aerial support. "It is therefore difficult to provide help there, unless by helicopter," he explained.

The region is a significant transit point for tourists and pilgrims heading to Tibet, which explains the high number of foreign nationals among the victims. "It is an important place to visit Tibet from Nepal or to leave that area via Nepal when returning from Tibet." Camps highlighted that the disaster struck around 9 a.m., a peak time as the border crossing opens, leading to a large number of travelers waiting to cross.

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It is therefore difficult to provide help there, unless by helicopter.

Many Indian tourists use this route for pilgrimages to Mount Kailash, while others travel to Lhasa or the northern side of Mount Everest. Camps also reported that some Belgians encountered difficulties further downstream, about 100 kilometers from the epicenter, due to mudslides. A group of tourists traveling from Chitwan National Park to Kathmandu was blocked for five hours before taking an alternative route, driving through the night to catch their flight home.

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It is an important place to visit Tibet from Nepal or to leave that area via Nepal when returning from Tibet.

While tourists have been affected, Camps emphasized that the local population has also suffered immensely. He estimated that the number of local victims is at least as high as that of tourists, also including Chinese officials at the border post who were among the first to be hit by the initial surge of water.

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It is a very busy time there at 9 in the morning, because the border post opens then.