Nepal Floods: Death Toll Surpasses 1,300 Amid Ongoing Rescue Efforts
Tragic Impact of Recent Floods in Nepal
An aerial view of damaged structures covered in thick mud and debris in the aftermath of flash floods. (Photo:PTI)
Kathmandu, September 5: The catastrophic floods that struck Nepal last week have resulted in over 1,300 fatalities, with the grim discovery of bodies continuing across various districts.
As per the latest figures from Nepal Police, 1,344 bodies have been retrieved from the Bhote Koshi River as of Saturday morning.
The number of casualties may increase, as 4,886 individuals, including 606 foreigners, are still unaccounted for following the floods that devastated the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors in central Nepal.
Many of those missing are feared to be trapped within the tunnels of 11 hydropower projects located along these river corridors, prompting ongoing rescue operations.
On Friday, rescuers successfully saved two individuals from the tunnel of the 60MW Upper Trishuli 3A project in Rasuwa district.
The Nepali government has confirmed that rescue operations are actively searching for those still uncontacted, while also focusing on body recovery, identification, and providing relief.
Security forces have ramped up their search and rescue missions in the affected regions. To date, authorities report that 8,962 individuals have been rescued, including 1,552 foreigners.
Efforts to identify the deceased are also being intensified, with DNA samples collected from 1,260 bodies and 1,012 relatives, totaling 2,272 samples, according to police reports.
Nepal Police has mobilized 7,912 personnel for search, rescue, and relief operations. Notably, 65 police officers have been impacted by the disaster, with 25 still unaccounted for.
The floods have inflicted severe damage to infrastructure and private properties along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems.
Once the rescue and relief phases conclude, Nepal is seeking international assistance for the restoration of the affected regions.