Nepal flash floods: Death count reaches 675, 2,400 people remain missing

Amid continuous rescue operation, the death toll from flash floods in Nepal went up to 675 on Saturday, with more bodies being recovered even as more than 2,400 people still remained missing following the disaster. Nepal police said bodies were recovered from all eight affected districts as search and rescue operations continued on war footing.

The disaster happened as an ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a torrent of water, mud and debris downstream wiping out towns and villages, damaging crucial infrastructure and washing away hydropower stations through central Nepal on Wednesday.

Till now 675 bodies of the Bhote Koshi flood victims have been recovered from eight



districts, according to a statement by Nepal Police and the rescuers have recovered 246 bodies from Chitawan, 165 from Nawalparasi East, 63 from Nawalparasi West and 57 from Gorkha. In the similar manner, 45 bodies were recovered from Dhading district, 51 from Nuwakot, 35 from Tanahu and 13 from Rasuwa district. Apart from this, more than 2,400 people remained missing as of Saturday.

Around 2,500 people, including 163 foreigners, were evacuated as rescue teams led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) raced against time amid on-and-off rainfall in the flood-affected regions. More than 11,000 security personnel, including over 5,000 Nepal Army personnel, have been mobilised for search and rescue operations.