The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal rose to 987 today, with security forces recovering more bodies from eight districts of the country, officials said.
Rescuers struggled to trace those stranded amid intermittent rainfall and a fresh flood alert as water levels rose in rivers across several districts.
Around 4,000 people, including 583 foreigners and several security personnel, still remain missing, while nearly 12,000 have been rescued, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said.
More than 22,000 security personnel and at least 16 helicopters have been deployed for rescue operations, with 254 workers and technicians rescued from the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project.
Authorities said hundreds of unidentified bodies have been buried under standard procedures, while temporary shelters have been arranged for nearly 3,000 displaced people.
Forecasters in China have warned of renewed rain in Gyirong that could raise water levels in a nearby barrier lake, while officials also flagged the risk of nearby glaciers collapsing.
Nepal has launched a diplomatic push to seek climate-related compensation from greenhouse emitters for the devastation caused by the recent deadly flash floods, asserting that post-disaster assistance should be treated as a matter of “moral liability”, “not charity”.
Rescue crews are searching for hundreds of workers believed trapped in hydropower tunnels after mud flooded the sites, with over 900 workers still missing across various projects.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah said Monday that rescue operations are being scaled up, revealing that more than 11,000 people have been pulled to safety so far, though nearly 4,000 remain unaccounted for.
Shah said supplying aid to affected communities remains a top government priority, noting that relief has already reached close to 3,700 people with international partners assisting the effort.
The death toll from the Nepal-China border floods has almost crossed 1,000, with Nepal reporting 987 deaths and China 16.
Nepal’s disaster agency said 11,814 people have been rescued, while thousands remain unaccounted for as teams continue searching affected areas and hydropower tunnels.
Meanwhile, Nepal has issued a fresh flood alert as water levels rise in several districts, raising concerns about further risks in the disaster-hit region.
