A video showing people wading through waist-deep, debris-filled water to salvage LPG gas cylinders has gone viral on social media, after a devastating flash flood swept through parts of northern Nepal, killing at least 22 people and leaving hundreds missing.
The 70-second video shows several people pushing through muddy water filled with garbage, plastic bottles, wood and other debris in search of belongings washed away by the raging floodwaters. Some are later seen pulling out red LPG cylinders before carrying them to relatively safer, drier ground as others gather around.
The video has drawn widespread attention online, with many questioning whether recovering a cooking-gas cylinder is worth risking one's life in such dangerous conditions.
'Is A Cylinder Bigger Than Life?'
Netizens have largely criticised the apparent risk-taking, with several users urging people not to enter unstable, debris-filled floodwaters for material possessions.
Comments such as “Nothing is worth more than life” and “Life is precious” were echoed by users reacting to the footage. Some called the act reckless, while others said the line between bravery and foolishness becomes dangerously thin during a disaster.
The video has also sparked criticism over what some users described as “opportunity in disaster”, with people accusing those seen scavenging through the debris of exploiting the tragedy.
Nepal Flood Leaves Trail Of Death And Destruction
The viral footage comes as Nepal faced its worst flash-flood disasters in recent months. A sudden surge of water swept through the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa district near the Tibet border on Wednesday morning, before affecting downstream areas including Nuwakot and Dhading.
The latest update from The Kathmandu Post put the death toll at 22, with dozens still missing. Among those out of contact are 32 security personnel, 15 customs officials and around 60 people associated with the Langtang Khola Hydropower Project.
The Nepal Tourism Board has also reported 384 travellers missing, including 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepalis. At least 105 Indians are among those reported missing.
What Triggered The Sudden Flood?
The flood was particularly devastating because the surge arrived with little warning. The Bhotekoshi River, which enters Nepal from Tibet, suddenly swelled and sent a powerful wall of water and debris through settlements.
Entire settlements, roads, bridges, markets and hydropower infrastructure were damaged or swept away. Several hydropower projects have also been affected, further disrupting infrastructure in the region.
Rescue Operations Underway
The Nepal Army, police and Armed Police Force have been deployed for search-and-rescue operations, with 88 people reported rescued in the latest update. However, bad weather, damaged communications and difficult terrain have hampered rescue flights and access to some of the worst-hit areas.
Authorities have warned people living along the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and other downstream rivers to move to safer ground as the risk of further flooding remains.
As rescue teams continue searching for those missing, the viral LPG-cylinder video has added another unsettling dimension to the disaster showing how, amid widespread destruction and loss, some survivors are willing to enter dangerous flood debris to recover even basic necessities.
