Rescue teams continue an 11th day of operations across flood-hit Nepal, with more than 13,000 people rescued and hundreds of hydropower workers still feared trapped in tunnels
The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal rose to 1,344 on Saturday, with nearly 4,900 people still missing, as rescue teams continued searching affected areas, officials said.
Of the bodies recovered so far, 758 were adults, 85 were children and 501 were recovered with body parts missing. Officials attributed the condition of the bodies to prolonged exposure to water and heavy debris.
The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated northern and central Nepal. Floodwaters from the Bhotekoshi River swept away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaged several hydropower projects.
Chitwan recorded the highest number of recovered bodies at around 360, while bodies were also recovered from Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Tanahun, Nawalparasi East and Nawalparasi West. Around 1,030 bodies have been temporarily buried after procedures including DNA collection.
More than 13,000 people have been rescued, according to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. However, 4,898 people remain missing, including more than 600 children from Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
Rescue operations have focused heavily on hydropower projects, where hundreds of workers are feared trapped inside tunnels. Two workers were rescued alive from the Trishuli 3A hydropower project on Friday after being trapped for nine days.
An Indian tunnel rescue team working alongside the Nepal Army has also built a temporary track inside the Chilime tunnel in Rasuwa to move heavy equipment into the affected area. The team has been draining water and deepening excavation efforts as the search continues.
At least 21 people were also killed on the Chinese side, while more than 500 people remain missing in Tibet, according to Chinese media reports.
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