Nepal Flash Flood Death Toll Rises to 1,252 as Fresh Bhotekoshi Flood Threat Emerges

Nepal’s devastating flash flood disaster has claimed at least 1,252 lives, while thousands of people remain missing as rescue teams continue their operations. Authorities have also warned of a possible fresh flood threat due to continuous rainfall in the upstream areas of the Bhotekoshi River.

Joint rescue teams led by the Nepal Army continued search and rescue operations for the ninth consecutive day, with an estimated 4,875 people still missing.

The devastating floods were triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, causing widespread destruction across northern and central Nepal. The disaster also affected areas across the border in Tibet, where authorities reported deaths and hundreds of people missing in Gyirong county.

Fresh rainfall in the upstream Bhotekoshi region has now raised concerns about another surge in water levels. Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology warned that the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, along with smaller rivers and streams flowing through Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, could see rising water levels.

People living near riverbanks and in downstream areas have been urged to remain alert as authorities monitor the situation.

Officials have also reported a moderate flash flood risk across several districts, particularly in Nepal’s hilly and mountainous regions. Rivers in areas including Taplejung, Panchthar, Terhathum, Dhankuta, Sankhuwasabha, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Gorkha, Chitawan and several other districts have been identified as areas facing potential flood threats.

Nepal Police data showed that hundreds of bodies have been recovered from multiple districts, with Chitawan reporting the highest number of recoveries. Nawalparasi East, Nawalparasi West, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Dhading and Tanahu have also witnessed major losses.

The floods have dramatically altered parts of the landscape in the affected valleys, particularly in Rasuwa and Nuwakot. Reports indicate that the destruction has changed riverbanks and removed familiar geographical landmarks, making helicopter rescue operations more difficult in the mountainous terrain.

As thousands remain missing, many families have begun performing symbolic funeral rituals for relatives who have not yet been found. Dozens of effigies were reportedly cremated during a mass funeral ceremony at Pashupati Aryaghat.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has linked the scale of the disaster to the growing threat of climate change in the Himalayan region. Addressing the country’s House of Representatives, he said Nepal must raise concerns about the increasing climate risks faced by Himalayan communities before the international community.

The disaster has also affected Nepalese citizens travelling and working in Tibet. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said around 100 Nepalese nationals were missing in Tibet following the floods.

Thousands of Nepalese citizens who had entered Tibet for pilgrimage and business were stranded after the disaster. More than 2,500 people have reportedly returned safely to Nepal through border crossings and by air, while authorities continue discussions to bring remaining stranded citizens home safely.

With the death toll continuing to rise, thousands of people still unaccounted for and fresh rainfall creating the possibility of further flooding, Nepal remains in the grip of one of its most severe natural disasters. Rescue teams and authorities continue search, evacuation and disaster-response operations across the affected regions.