Nepal floods: Death toll rises to 165, hundreds still missing

KATHMANDU: The death toll in the Bhote Koshi flood in Nepal’s Rasuwa district has risen to 165, with bodies recovered from the flood-affected areas so far, according to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

The report stated that identification of the recovered bodies is under way. It added that 44 Nepal Army personnel, 28 Nepal police personnel, and 13 Armed Police Force (APF) personnel working in the affected area and at various police posts are missing and out of contact.

According to preliminary data from the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 579 travellers, including 466 foreigners and 113 Nepalis, are missing from the affected area. The NDRRMA said that 123 individuals have been rescued by air from Timure in Rasuwa, including 94 Nepalis and 29 foreign nationals.

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The flood has also caused major infrastructure damage, affecting 35 motorable bridges, 45 suspension bridges, and 40 kilometres of paved roads. Collection of detailed data on human and material losses is ongoing.

According to the report, on Wednesday at 8.40 am, a massive flood carrying debris occurred in Lhende Khola due to a glacier/ice rock collapse approximately 20 km northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border point on the Nepal-China border.

The flood entered the Bhote Koshi River from the Tibet side and flowed through Rasuwagadhi, Timure, and Syaphru Besi before reaching the Trishuli River. The incident has created a critical situation in the coastal areas of the Trishuli River across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, and Chitwan districts.

Following the disaster, Nepal Army and private sector helicopters have been mobilised to intensify search and rescue operations in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.

Medical teams, including doctors from Nuwakot District Hospital, Nepal Army, Nepal Police, APF, National Trauma Center, Bir Hospital, and T U Teaching Hospital, have been deployed to provide treatment to the injured.

Temporary shelters, food, clean water, and medicines have been arranged for flood victims at nearby Nepal Army barracks. The immediate priorities include rescue and treatment of the injured, searching for missing citizens, ensuring security, relief distribution, collecting detailed damage reports, and restoring damaged infrastructure.

Priority is also being given to the reconstruction of blocked roads, bridges, hydropower facilities, communication networks, and water supply systems, along with the safe relocation of displaced families. (ANI)