The death toll from the catastrophic Nepal-China Himalayan floods has climbed to at least 633, while nearly 3,000 people remain missing as rescue teams continue battling difficult weather, damaged roads and the threat of further flooding.
According to the latest figures, 626 people have died in Nepal and seven in China’s Tibet region following Wednesday’s devastating flood, which was triggered by a glacier collapse that sent a massive torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris through mountain river systems.
Around 2,426 people remain missing in Nepal, while hundreds more are still unaccounted for in Tibet, taking the combined missing count to nearly 3,000. At least 540 foreigners are among those missing, many of them pilgrims, tourists and trekkers visiting the Himalayan region.
Rescue operations in parts of Nepal were temporarily suspended on Saturday because of heavy rain and fog, which made helicopter flights unsafe. Teams have been searching devastated settlements, riverbanks and infrastructure sites, including locations where people are feared trapped inside mud-filled tunnels.
Authorities are also closely monitoring two upstream lakes formed following the glacier collapse. One barrier lake that had raised fears of another major flood has begun shrinking, with satellite imagery showing its surface area falling to around 99,000 square metres by Saturday morning.
However, officials have identified another larger water body near the glacier-collapse site with a surface area exceeding 120,000 square metres. Its depth remains unknown, and authorities have warned that flood risks will continue until the unstable lakes fully drain.
The disaster has destroyed buildings, bridges, roads and power infrastructure across the mountainous border region. The Gyirong border crossing connecting Tibet with Nepal was among the worst-hit areas, with rescuers encountering extensive destruction after finally reaching the site.
Nepal has now sought international technical assistance in specialised areas such as tunnel rescues, DNA identification, body preservation and restoring damaged transport and communication links. India has sent relief supplies and offered technical teams, medical assistance and equipment to support the response.
With hundreds confirmed dead and thousands still unaccounted for, authorities have warned that the final toll could rise further as rescue teams gain access to isolated disaster-hit areas.
source – Reuters
Supreme News Network
