The death toll from Nepal's devastating flood has risen to 1,357, with 5,326 people still missing, according to the country's disaster authority. This comes nearly two weeks after the disaster struck on August 26. In China, 43 people were confirmed dead and 519 missing, bringing the overall toll to 1,400 dead and 5,845 missing. Rescue work continues in Nepal, focusing on three hydropower projects where workers are believed to be trapped. Foreign experts from China, India, and South Korea are aiding Nepali teams in the search and rescue operations. Nepal's foreign ministry has not given up hope of finding survivors, though the exact number of people missing inside the tunnels remains unverified.
Efforts to Verify Missing Persons
Authorities in Nepal have been working to verify the numbers of missing people by collating data from across the country. "We have been compiling reports and verifying them. That is what has caused the increase in the number," said Prakash Pokhrel, assistant spokesman at the disaster authority. "We are trying to get to a number that is close to reality."
Ongoing Rescue Operations
Rescue work continued in Nepal for a 14th day after the glacial and mountain collapse near the China-Nepal border swept away roads, bridges, and homes. Hundreds of hydropower workers are among the missing, but the rescue of three from deep inside tunnels—two Nepalis and a Chinese man—has raised hopes that others could still be alive. "Our search and rescue operation is ongoing," said Dharam Raj Uprety, chief of the country's disaster authority. "We are hoping that there might still be survivors in at least three projects, and we are pushing our operations there."
Challenges and Hopes
With mortuaries overflowing, Nepal has buried hundreds of bodies in mass graves after collecting DNA samples for future identification. David Fisher of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies noted that reaching isolated communities is challenging due to narrow and dangerous access routes. "Every delay means families wait longer for the support they urgently need," he said. While the exact cause of the glacial collapse is unclear, climate change is accelerating glacial melt worldwide, increasing the risk of such disasters. Nepal, a largely rural nation, has said reconstruction could cost billions of dollars.
