Death Toll Rises to 472 as Floods and Landslides Devastate Nepal, Missing 1400

Darwin, August 28: The death toll from devastating flash floods and landslides in Nepal has risen to 472, while around 1,400 people remain missing, according to Nepalese police.

Rescue teams continued their search for the missing for a third consecutive day on Friday, with authorities warning that the number of casualties could rise further as operations reach some of the worst-affected areas.

The disaster struck on Wednesday, August 26, following massive floods and landslides in areas along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers. Torrential floodwaters and landslides swept through settlements, damaging homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.

Rescue and recovery efforts have been hampered by extensive destruction and difficult terrain. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said that 977 people had still not been contacted as of 10pm Thursday, highlighting the scale of the ongoing crisis.

Hundreds of Indians Missing

The disaster has also affected hundreds of Indian nationals who were in Nepal. As of Thursday night, authorities had been unable to establish contact with 290 Indians, while 84 people had been rescued.

Those rescued included 63 workers from the Trishuli-1 hydropower project and 21 people from Tamil Nadu.

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said that nearly 300 Indian tourists were initially reported missing following the floods. However, the latest information from the Nepal Tourism Board puts the number of missing Indian nationals at 178.

Across Nepal and Tibet, a total of 826 people are reportedly missing. The missing foreign nationals include citizens of India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea and the United States.

China Warns of Another Potential Flood

Even as Nepal struggles to recover from the disaster, China has warned of the possibility of another major flood.

China’s Ministry of Water Resources said a barrier lake had formed near the confluence of the Chotshen Khola and Purupu Tsangpo rivers in Tibet after a natural dam blocked the waterway. By Thursday morning, the lake was estimated to contain around 2 million cubic metres of water.

Authorities warned that if more water accumulates, the natural dam could collapse, sending a huge volume of water downstream toward Nepal and potentially triggering another catastrophic flood.

Entire Roads and Settlements Buried

The scale of the devastation has become increasingly visible through images and aerial footage from the affected areas.

In Nepal’s worst-hit Nuwakot district, homes and roads have been buried under thick layers of mud and debris. Trees can be seen entangled with wreckage, while survivors have been left standing amid the mud and destruction.

In Tibet’s Shigatse region, a two-lane road running alongside a river has reportedly been completely buried under earth and debris. Aerial footage has also shown a newly formed lake near the China-Nepal border growing in size, raising fears that a possible breach could trigger another devastating flood.

Families Search for Missing Relatives

The disaster has left families both inside and outside Nepal searching desperately for their loved ones.

Rajan Tamang, a restaurant owner in New York City, told the Associated Press that he learned from relatives in Kathmandu that his mother and sister had died in the floods. Many of his other relatives and friends remain missing.

Speaking to the Associated Press after a prayer gathering in New York, Tamang said his family members had been waking up when the floodwaters suddenly arrived. They had received no warning before the disaster.

“They were just waking up. They did not receive any warning. Suddenly, the floodwaters came,” he said, describing the devastating loss of family members and the uncertainty surrounding those who remain missing.

As rescue teams continue searching the hardest-hit areas, authorities fear that the death toll could rise further and that the disaster may have an even greater human and economic impact than initially estimated.

Source: Associated Press; Hindustan Times