Nepal Floods: Death Toll Crosses 1,050, Nearly 4,000 Missing; PM Shah Cites Climate Change

At least 1,050 people have died in devastating floods in Nepal, while nearly 4,000 remain missing, the country's disaster management authority said on Tuesday.

Security forces continued to recover bodies from eight districts as rescue operations remained underway. Nearly 12,000 people have been rescued, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

PM Shah Links Disaster To Climate Change

Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Tuesday linked the devastating floods to climate change. The floodwaters entered Rasuwa through the Bhotekoshi River, which borders Tibet, last week.

“There is no doubt that climate change has caused this disaster, as it has been confirmed that the temperature in the Himalayan region has increased by 1.8 degrees,” Shah said in a social media post.

Shah said climate change was a global challenge and disaster response remained a global responsibility.

“This incident points towards the growing risk we have to bear as the consequences of climate change in the Himalayas,” he said.

Flash Floods Swept Away Homes, Roads And Bridges

The flash floods, triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border, devastated towns and villages across northern and central Nepal on Aug 26.

The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges. The floods also damaged hydropower projects.

Chitwan Records 321 Deaths

According to the NDRRMA, 321 bodies were recovered in Chitwan district, the highest among the eight affected districts.

Nawalparasi East recorded 216 bodies, followed by Nawalparasi West with 170, Nuwakot with 95, Gorkha with 65, Dhading with 57, Rasuwa with 41 and Tanahun with 38.

Rescue and recovery operations continued as authorities searched for nearly 4,000 people who remained missing.

Published on: Wednesday, September 02, 2026, 07:23 PM IST