Kathmandu: Eight days after a catastrophic glacial outburst near the Nepal–Tibet border unleashed devastating flash floods across northern and central Nepal, the death toll climbed to 1,127 on Wednesday, with 4,858 people still missing as rescue teams raced against time to locate survivors and recover bodies, the Nepal Police said.
District-wise recovery figures released by the Nepal Police showed Chitwan accounted for the highest number of bodies at 348, followed by 217 in Nawalparasi East, 190 in Nawalparasi West and 155 in Nuwakot. Further, 66 bodies were retrieved from Gorkha, 59 from Dhading, 45 from Rasuwa and 38 from Tanahu.
Of the total recovered, postmortem examinations and legal identification formalities have been completed for 1,113 bodies, while only 95 have so far been handed over to grieving families, as reported by The New Indian Express.
To aid identification efforts, authorities have uploaded details of 911 unidentified bodies on the Nepal Police website, urging relatives of the missing to check the portal for matches.
6,541 Rescued, 7,912 Police On Duty
Security forces have evacuated 6,541 individuals from flood-ravaged zones to date, even as ground teams continue scouring affected areas for the 4,858 still unaccounted for, police said.
A total of 7,912 police personnel have been pressed into service across the worst-hit districts to carry out search-and-rescue missions, distribute relief supplies and manage the recovery and storage of bodies.
In addition to body recovery, police units are relocating families from vulnerable, high-risk pockets to safer ground, clearing highways and rural roads clogged with debris, and liaising with local officials and community members to streamline rescue and relief coordination.
The flash floods, set off by a sudden collapse or avalanche of ice and rock along the Nepal–Tibet frontier, swept through towns and villages in northern and central Nepal on August 26, leaving widespread destruction in their wake.
Foreign Nationals Among Hundreds Missing
The catastrophe has also left hundreds of foreign nationals missing. In Nepal alone, 583 foreigners representing more than 30 countries remain untraced, while another 261 foreigners from 23 nations are reported missing in China.
Indians constitute one of the largest groups among the missing foreigners in Nepal, with New Delhi confirming 275 Indian citizens and an additional 128 persons of Indian origin still unaccounted for. The US State Department, in a Sunday update, said 85 American citizens are also missing.
According to reports citing Nepal’s tourism authorities and various embassies, 62 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 42 Australians and 33 British nationals are among those still missing.