Nepal-China Flash Floods Death Toll Rises to 1,019 as 4,462 Remain Missing
Search and rescue efforts continue as damaged infrastructure and rugged terrain hamper operations along the Nepal-China border.
- Death toll rises to 1,019
- 4,462 people remain missing
- Rescue efforts hampered by rough terrain
The death toll from devastating flash floods and mudslides along the Nepal-China border has risen to 1,019, with another 4,462 people reported missing, one week after the disaster struck.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 84 additional deaths had been confirmed, taking the number of fatalities in Nepal to 1,003. It said 3,916 people, including 583 foreigners, remain missing.
Among those missing are 639 personnel deployed at hydroelectric power stations.
On the Chinese side, authorities have confirmed 16 deaths, while 546 people, including 261 foreigners, are still missing.
The combined figures from both countries put the death toll at 1,019, while 4,462 people, including 844 foreigners, remain unaccounted for.
The disaster occurred on August 26, when a glacier on Nepal’s Mount Langtang Lirung fractured at an altitude of about 5,200 metres. The incident triggered an ice-rock avalanche that developed into a massive debris flow, sweeping through valleys along the border.
The floods and mudslides devastated several areas in Nepal, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Kavre and the Kathmandu Valley. On the Chinese side, the disaster buried the Gyirong border crossing in southwestern Tibet.
Most of the missing foreigners are Indian nationals, with 275 Indians and 100 Chinese nationals reported missing.
As recovery efforts continue, Nepal has requested freezers, DNA testing kits, remote-sensing technology and drones to help identify victims and map affected areas.
China, South Korea and India have deployed teams to support search-and-rescue operations, but damaged roads, difficult terrain and destroyed infrastructure continue to hamper the response.
Chinese state media reported that rescue teams took 10 hours on foot to reach the Gyirong border crossing, only to find that buildings and other infrastructure on the Chinese side had been completely swept away.
