A devastating Nepal flood disaster along the Nepal-Tibet border has killed at least 547 people in Nepal, with more than 1,400 people reported missing, as rescue teams continue searching for survivors.
The latest death toll was announced by Nepalese police on Friday, August 28, following Wednesday’s flash floods that sent torrents of water, ice and mud through communities, destroying homes, bridges and vehicles.
Chinese state media separately reported five deaths in Tibet, bringing the combined death toll from the disaster to at least 552.
According to Channels Television, the United States Geological Survey said the disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse that generated a huge flow of icy debris. It is reportedly the deadliest disaster in Nepal since the 2015 earthquake.
Rescue efforts face fresh danger
Rescue operations have been complicated by the risk of further flooding. Nepalese police ordered rescuers to immediately move to safety after receiving information that a water dam had burst on the Tibetan side.
In Tibet, Chinese authorities temporarily halted rescue operations in the worst-hit area of Gyirong after a debris-filled lake began overflowing towards areas where emergency teams had been working.
Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting on Friday where officials warned of hidden dangers from glaciers, ice lakes and geological disasters in the surrounding region.
More than 100 trapped in hydropower tunnel
Nepali military teams have located people trapped inside a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project.
Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said two helicopters had been deployed, although rescuers were struggling to identify the tunnel’s entry points.
About 350 workers and residents have already been rescued from the site, while efforts continued to reach more than 100 people still trapped in the area.
Survivors described how quickly the flood struck. Worker Buddha Tamang said he survived because he was inside a tunnel when the disaster hit, while several senior officers working elsewhere were swept away.
Foreign tourists among those missing
Nepalese authorities said 910 people, including 517 foreign tourists, remain out of contact.
Indians account for the largest number of missing foreign nationals, while the United States said 90 of its citizens were out of contact.
Many Hindu pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash are also among those reported missing. A Malaysian woman, Logadarrsiny Raman, said she had lost contact with her parents, aunt and uncle, who were travelling with a group of 17 Malaysians towards the Nepal-China border when the flood struck.
Meanwhile, Indian authorities have recovered seven bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal, believed to be victims of the floods. Those deaths have not been included in Nepal’s official toll.
The disaster has left communities across the region dealing with destroyed homes, disrupted infrastructure and continuing threats from unstable glaciers, lakes and floodwaters.
