Nepal Flash Floods: Death Toll Rises to 1,385, Over 5,000 Still Missing

The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal climbed to 1,385 on Friday as rescue teams continued recovering bodies and searching for more than 5,000 people still unaccounted for. The disaster, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, caused widespread destruction across several districts in northern and central Nepal.

Authorities said the disaster remains critical, with thousands of people yet to be traced. So far, 13,676 people have been rescued from the affected regions, while officials estimate that 5,130 people are still missing.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that 364 bodies had been recovered from Chitwan, 228 from Nawalparasi East, 222 from Nawalparasi West, 199 from Nuwakot, 185 from Rasuwa, 77 from Gorkha, 70 from Dhading and 38 from Tanahu. Two other victims died while receiving treatment in Kathmandu.

Security personnel operating under a joint command have continued search and rescue efforts across the worst-hit areas. The Bhotekoshi River, which flows southward from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, causing extensive damage. Homes, vehicles, roads and bridges were swept away, while hydropower infrastructure was also affected.

The disaster also left hundreds of Nepalese nationals stranded in China. According to a report by the Rising Nepal newspaper, 703 Nepalese citizens have returned home through the Tatopani border point in Sindhupalchok after being stranded across the border.

The returnees had been living in China for employment and made their way back through Keyrung and Tatopani after the floods caused major destruction and casualties in Keyrung and Rasuwa. Data from the District Administration Office in Sindhupalchok showed that the group included 205 women and 498 men.

The impact of the disaster was not limited to Nepal. Areas on the Chinese side of the border were also affected by the flooding. Chinese media reports said at least 43 people were killed in the affected areas, while more than 500 people remained missing in Tibet.

As Nepal continues to deal with the aftermath, rescue personnel remain engaged in difficult search operations across multiple districts. With thousands still missing, authorities face the challenging task of locating survivors and recovering those who may have been swept away by the powerful floodwaters.