Dhaka, July 9 -- Monsoon-swollen floodwaters swept away the main bridge linking Nepal with China on Tuesday, leaving 18 people missing and halting a key trade route, according to Nepali authorities.
The Bhotekoshi River, swollen by heavy rainfall, destroyed the Friendship Bridge at Rasuwagadi, located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital, Kathmandu. The flood also swept away several houses and trucks that had been parked at the border for customs inspections. Among the damaged property were hundreds of electric vehicles imported from China.
Rescue operations were underway, with a Nepali Army helicopter evacuating people stranded by the sudden flooding. Police said that 95 rescuers had already reached the site and additiona...