Kathmandu, Aug. 27 -- morning flash flood on the Bhotekoshi river wreaked havoc across three districts on Wednesday, killing at least 162 people, leaving scores, including security personnel and foreign tourists, missing, and sweeping away private and public property in one of the country's worst disasters in recent years.

The flood was caused after an avalanche blocked the flow of the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi and first hit Timure, near Nepal's border with China at Rasuwagadhi. Much of the settlement, home to hundreds of people, was swept away before the flood surged downstream. With no rainfall reported in the area, residents had no warning of the disaster and were going about their daily routines when the flood struck.

Rajen...