Nepal flood sweeps bank safe down river — then 29 people allegedly break it open

A bank safe was swept away by devastating floods in Nepal and carried downstream. But when it finally washed up, the story took an unexpected turn.

Police say people found the safe along the Trishuli River, broke it open and began taking the money inside.

By the time security forces intervened, 29 people had been arrested and NPR 9.27 million — about Dh223,000 — had been recovered, according to Nepal Police.

The unusual case has emerged amid widespread destruction caused by severe flooding in Nepal.

The safe was swept away from the flood-hit Rasuwa area and carried downstream by the Trishuli River before reaching Dhading district.

Nepalese newspaper Kantipur reported that the bank safe was recovered near Galchhi in Dhading.

Police allege people removed the safe from the river, broke it open and took the cash inside.

A joint team from the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force subsequently arrested 29 people.

The suspects were taken into custody as authorities opened a further investigation into the case.

That remains unclear.

Police have not said how much money was originally stored inside the safe, meaning investigators have yet to determine whether all the cash has been recovered.

The safe was reportedly found in Belkhukhola, Dhading, after being swept downstream from Rasuwa.

Local reports said investigators are now trying to establish the source of the money and whether anyone else may have taken cash before authorities reached the scene.

Police have also increased surveillance and patrols in flood-hit areas to prevent theft and looting of government, commercial and private property. At the same time, communities deal with the aftermath of the disaster.

The case began as another example of the extraordinary force of the floodwaters.

The safe had apparently been ripped from its original location and carried downstream along with debris before eventually reaching Dhading.

But its discovery quickly turned into a criminal investigation.

Police say people who found the safe broke it open and divided or removed the money before security personnel arrived.

Authorities then began identifying those suspected of taking the cash and recovering money from individuals who were brought in for investigation.

But investigators still have a crucial question to answer: How much money was inside the safe when the flood carried it away?

Until that is established, police cannot say whether all the missing cash has been recovered — or whether more money is still out there.