Kathmandu : Nepal is reeling from the devastation caused by flash floods that swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday. The disaster has killed 626 people, according to Nepal Police, while more than 2,400 remain unaccounted for. The floods destroyed roads, bridges, settlements and hydropower infrastructure across the region.
At least 2,478 people are still unaccounted for across Nepal and Tibet following the devastating floods and landslides. Nepal accounts for 1,924 of the missing, while 554 remain unaccounted for in Tibet, according to Xinhua. Officials have cautioned that the numbers could change as authorities continue assessing the scale of the disaster. Nepal’s disaster agency said 517 foreigners, including tourists and foreign workers, remain missing. Chinese officials reported another 260 foreigners missing on their side of the border.
Nepal Police has put the death toll in the country at 626, up from 579 reported by the disaster agency on Friday. Seven additional deaths have been confirmed in Tibet. Chinese rescuers reached the worst-hit Gyirong border crossing only on Friday after floods destroyed roads leading to the area. A 21-member team and a search-and-rescue dog crossed mountains and valleys, using ropes to navigate forests and steep cliffs.
Teams resumed their search after the immediate risk from the overflowing lake subsided. Nepali officials said they remained hopeful of finding survivors despite the difficult conditions. Nepal is monitoring two barrier lakes upstream, with officials warning that flood risks will persist until they drain completely. Satellite imagery showed the second lake growing without a visible outlet, while Chinese experts warned that the region’s numerous glacial lakes could pose further risks.
China’s Ministry of Water Resources said the lake’s water level was gradually rising, with around 2.5 million cubic metres of water accumulated by Friday. Beijing had earlier warned that another 3 million cubic metres could collect over the next three days. Chinese flood modelling estimates that a partial breach could generate a maximum flow of 500 cubic metres per second. Beijing said the water would likely remain within the riverbanks, suggesting limited downstream impact.
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