Nepal Flood Toll Rises to 1,365 as Search for 5,326 Missing Continues

Kathmandu, Sep 9: The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal rose to 1,365 on Wednesday as rescue teams recovered more bodies from the worst-hit areas, while 5,326 people, including at least 589 foreign nationals, remained missing, authorities said.

According to a Nepal Police news bulletin, rescue teams recovered 363 bodies from Chitwan district, 226 from Nawalparasi East, 222 from Nawalparasi West and 197 from Nuwakot.

Another 174 bodies were recovered from Rasuwa, 75 from Gorkha, 70 from Dhading and 38 from Tanahu districts.

Police said 102 bodies have so far been handed over to their families after completion of the identification process.

Security personnel have preserved 1,147 unidentified bodies underground in accordance with prescribed protocols. DNA samples have also been collected to assist authorities in establishing the identities of the victims and handing them over to their families.

The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, caused widespread destruction across northern and central Nepal.

The Bhotekoshi River, flowing south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, sweeping away houses, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging several hydropower projects.

The disaster also claimed at least 43 lives on the Chinese side of the border, while more than 500 people remain missing in Tibet, according to Chinese media reports.

Rescue and search operations continue in the affected regions as authorities work to locate those still missing and identify the recovered bodies. (Agencies)