MEA confirms 275 Indians missing, pledges extra relief supplies as Nepal flood death toll reached 1,344

NEW DELHI: A total of 169 Indian nationals have been successfully rescued from flood-affected regions in Nepal to date, while 275 are still missing in the disaster, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Friday.

Three more Indian citizens were pulled to safety from Trishuli Bazaar since Thursday, identified as Abhijit Suresh Pawar, Dipika Abhijit Pawar, and five-year-old Samarth Abhijit Pawar, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal informed in a post on X.

Confirming the ongoing efforts to facilitate their journey home, Jaiswal stated, “Our Embassy in Nepal is assisting in their return to India by air”. The Indian team’s operations continue in close coordination with Nepalese disaster management authorities to locate stranded citizens and secure their safe evacuation.

Update on Indian nationals impacted by the floods in Nepal

As of 2030 hrs, 4 Sept 2026

Total Indians rescued so far : 169

Three more Indian nationals were rescued from Trishuli Bazaar since yesterday. These include :

1. Abhijit Suresh Pawar
2. Dipika Abhijit Pawar
3.…

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) September 4, 2026

Jaiswal reiterated India’s commitment to assisting Nepal following widespread flood devastation, pledging to dispatch further essential supplies, including forensic kits and Bailey bridges.

Speaking at an official press briefing, Jaiswal outlined India’s ongoing humanitarian and disaster relief operations in close coordination with Nepalese authorities.

“We will continue to provide assistance as per the requirements of the Government of Nepal. We do in the coming days plan to send more forensic kits, Bailey bridges, and other materials that are requested by the government of Nepal and these details will be shared with you as and when these supplies are undertaken,” Jaiswal stated.

Detailing the scale of India’s assistance, Jaiswal highlighted that two Indian aircraft delivered 21 tons of relief material to Kathmandu yesterday, bringing the total supply to approximately 95 tons delivered across seven flights.

Beyond material aid, India has deployed specialised personnel on the ground to assist local authorities. “In addition to the relief material, we have also sent 54 personnel to support relief and rescue efforts in Nepal. This comprises 30 tunnel rescue experts, 19 forensic experts, and a five-member medical team. Our rescue and forensic teams are deployed on the ground, and they are working closely with the Nepalese authorities,” Jaiswal added.

Addressing the safety and evacuation of Indian citizens, Jaiswal noted that 275 Indian nationals remain missing, while 166 Indian nationals have been successfully rescued in Nepal so far. Expressing gratitude to local rescue teams, Jaiswal said, “We deeply appreciate the efforts of the Nepalese authorities in this regard.”

The spokesperson confirmed that the MEA remains in close coordination with Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, relevant Indian state governments, and local officials, regularly releasing names of rescued individuals.

Providing an update on border movement and cross-border transit, Jaiswal noted that 1,907 Indian nationals have safely crossed into Nepal from China. Citing official Chinese sources, he added that no Indian travelers remain stranded in the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China.

This comes as the death toll from the devastating Rasuwa flood has risen to 1,294, according to an update issued by the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Authority (NDRMA) as of 6.30 pm on Friday.

Search teams recovered bodies across multiple districts, with Chitwan reporting the highest casualties at 359, followed by Nawalparasi East (221), Nuwakot (184), Nawalparasi West (212), and Rasuwa (140). So far, 96 bodies have been handed over to families. Among the casualties are unidentified human remains.

In a dramatic rescue operation on September 4, emergency personnel successfully pulled two survivors alive from the tunnel of the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project.

More than 13,000 individuals have been rescued to date through combined ground and air operations involving 21,421 deployed security personnel, comprising 9,287 Nepali Army, 7,931 Nepal Police, and 4,203 Armed Police Force (APF) members, NDRRMA stated.

Air support has played a crucial role, with the Nepali Army executing 881 helicopter flights and private operators completing 129 flights from Kathmandu. Rescued individuals include 303 foreign nationals.

Missing Persons and Displacement Concerns remain high as around 5,053 people are still reported missing, including 2,130 in Rasuwa, 2,340 in Nuwakot, and 583 foreign nationals. Authorities noted that the missing count may include unidentified bodies already recovered.

Currently, 4,627 displaced residents are sheltering in 37 holding centres across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading, while 5,663 injured citizens are receiving medical care in field and regional hospitals.

The NDRRMA highlighted in the update that initial assessments reveal severe infrastructure destruction, with 7,570 private homes damaged, impacting an estimated 32,963 people directly. Critical infrastructure losses include 55 kilometers of fully damaged roads, 37 motorable bridges, 68 suspension bridges, 48 government buildings, 18 schools, and 7 health facilities.

Relief dispatch efforts are ongoing, with 77 trucks, 38 light vehicles, and multiple helicopter distribution flights delivering food and essential items to devastated communities.

The Government of Nepal has announced immediate cash support, allocating NPR 10 million each to Rasuwa and Nuwakot, NPR 5 million to Dhading, and NPR 135 million distributed among 15 affected local governments, NDRRMA stated.

Joint search and rescue teams in Nepal have successfully pulled individuals alive from deep inside the Trishuli 3-A Hydropower Project tunnel, approximately 100 meters from the entry point, according to NDRRMA.

The authority added that ground forces continue to deploy specialised assets to accelerate operations. A Nepal Police canine unit with two search dogs alongside 12 officers is actively searching the Mailung area, while technical teams utilise drone surveillance to monitor affected riverbanks. Overall, approximately 459 Nepal Police personnel and 450 APF officers are deployed across riverbanks, holding centres, and relief distribution points along both sides of the Trishuli River.

Additionally, Nepal Police stated that “Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki had conducted a field visit to the flood-affected districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot, and had also provided instructions and encouragement to the police personnel deployed in the search and rescue operations.” (ANI)