Nepal flood toll rises to 788; rising rivers, dwindling supplies add to survivors' woes
Nepal's devastating flash floods have killed 788 people so far, with over 2,500 still missing, as survivors and displaced patients struggle to access essential aid amid dwindling supplies at hospitals and relief camps. Rescuers continue battling mud, debris and treacherous weather in a bid to find more survivors.
A drone view of people walking on a road and to their houses covered in mud after flash floods in Nepal's Nuwakot district on Saturday. (Photo: Reuters)
Nepal's flood death toll reached 788 on Sunday as rising rivers threatened affected areas and over 2,500 people remained missing. Rescuers battled mud, debris and treacherous weather, while survivors and displaced patients struggled to access essential aid as damaged roads, bridges and water systems hampered relief efforts.
Search and rescue operations entered the fifth day today after heavy rain and fog briefly halted efforts, with helicopters returning to the skies and teams combing rubble in worst-hit areas, including Rasuwa and Nuwakot, along the Tibet border.
Authorities urged residents and rescue teams to remain vigilant after the Sunkoshi and Bhote Koshi rivers rose. The Sunkoshi crossed the alert level in Sindhuli, while the Bhote Koshi in Rasuwa rose sharply around 3 am before the water level began to decline. Officials said there was no immediate risk of major flooding downstream.
Triggered by a glacier collapse, the flash floods sent torrents of rock, ice, mud and debris through mountain river systems on Wednesday, sweeping away buildings, bridges and power stations across Nepal.
The disaster also devastated Tibet's Gyirong County, where a border crossing complex was completely destroyed after torrents of water and debris swept through the site. So far, 16 people have died, and 546 are missing, China, which controls Tibet, said. Across Nepal and Tibet, nearly 3,000 people remain missing, according to the latest figures.
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The worst-affected areas include Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan in Nepal, with rescue teams also working in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors. The remote terrain, destroyed roads and bridges, heavy rain and mud blocking access have made the search particularly difficult.
Nepali authorities urged residents and rescue teams to remain vigilant after water levels in the Sunkoshi and Bhote Koshi rivers rose on Sunday morning. In Rasuwa, the Bhote Koshi river flows rose sharply after around 3 am but have since started declining. Rasuwa Chief District Officer Narendra Pariyar said the sudden rise in the Bhote Koshi river prompted local authorities to issue a caution. The Flood Forecasting Division said there was currently no risk of major flooding in downstream areas.
Nearly 3,000 people, including over 275 Indians, remain missing, according to the latest official figures. Most of the Indians were on a pilgrimage to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in Tibet when the flash floods occurred. Over 3,700 people, including 108 Indians, have been rescued in Nepal as search operations entered the fifth day. The 108 rescued Indians included four who were rescued from a hydropower project in Rasuwa.
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said 128 persons of Indian origin were also uncontactable. The government said 598 Indians had safely crossed from China into Nepal over the preceding two days. Around 900 Indians remained on the Chinese side but were safe and contactable, the MEA said.
In Rasuwa, an 82-member joint team of the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police has been clearing mud and debris from tunnels at hydropower projects where workers are believed to be trapped. More than 100 people are believed to remain inside a tunnel at the under-construction Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project.
An 11-member Indian team of doctors, paramedics and tunnel-rescue specialists arrived in Nepal on Saturday and carried out an on-site reconnaissance of hydropower tunnels in the affected areas. The team has been assessing ways to reach people trapped or unaccounted for inside the tunnels.
India sent its fourth relief flight, carrying 11 tonnes of assistance, to Nepal, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said late on Saturday. The Indian Air Force C-130 aircraft carried a tunnel technical team and search-and-rescue equipment, forensic experts and DNA-analysis equipment, as well as blankets, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, plastic sheets and hygiene kits.
Jaishankar said 16 trucks carrying equipment for a 230-foot Single Lane Modular Steel Bridge had reached Nepal. Equipment for seven more Bailey bridges will be supplied soon, with technical teams expected to arrive shortly to install them. India has now airlifted 68.5 tonnes of relief material to Nepal, including essential medicines, portable generators, food packets, water-purification tablets and technical equipment.
The aftermath of the flash floods has hampered aid deliveries, leaving displaced patients and survivors without essential medicines as hospitals struggle with dwindling supplies, fuel shortages and poor sanitation. Floodwaters also destroyed canals and pipelines supplying drinking water to nearby settlements, forcing people to rely on unsafe sources and raising fears of disease outbreaks.
Starlink, the satellite internet network owned by tech titan Elon Musk, said it was ready to deploy kits and provide free service to support the Nepalese government and humanitarian organisations once authorised. In a post on X, Starlink said satellite communication could help rescue teams coordinate searches, medical teams treat the injured and families contact people still missing, particularly after roads, bridges and cellular networks were destroyed.
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(with inputs from Reuters)