Nepal Floods: Death Toll Rises To 579, Nearly 2,000 Missing As Rescue Efforts Intensify

The death toll from the devastating flash floods in central Nepal rose to 579 on Friday as rescuers recovered more bodies and resumed search operations at full pace. At least 1,924 people, including foreign tourists, security personnel and Nepali travellers, remain missing.

Rescue efforts had briefly slowed amid fears of fresh flooding after water levels rose in the Bhotekoshi River area. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) warned that water mixed with mud had risen at the site of Wednesday's flash flood, increasing the possibility of another flood.

Fresh flood threat looms

"The water level mixed with mud has increased at the same place where the flash flood occurred on Wednesday, and there is a risk of more flooding in the area," the NDRRMA said.

The authority urged rescue personnel and people staying in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli areas to remain highly alert and move immediately to safer places if they faced any danger.

The scale of the disaster has put enormous pressure on Nepal's rescue machinery. With hundreds dead, nearly 2,000 missing and the threat of another flood hanging over affected areas, rescuers face the difficult task of continuing searches without exposing themselves to further danger, PTI reports.

The flash flood swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday, causing widespread damage to settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure.

Hundreds of bodies recovered

Nepal Police said 579 bodies had been recovered from eight districts. Chitwan recorded 233 bodies, followed by Nawalparasi East with 154, Gorkha with 46 and Dhading with 40.

Another 37 bodies were recovered from Nuwakot, 30 from Tanahu, 27 from Nawalparasi West and 12 from Rasuwa.

Five people were also killed in Gyirong County in the Tibet Autonomous Region, according to Chinese authorities.

At least 1,924 people have been missing since Wednesday morning. They include 86 security personnel, 517 foreign tourists and 127 Nepali travellers.

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Thousands rescued

Authorities said 4,451 people had been rescued from affected areas, including 129 foreign nationals. Of the foreign nationals rescued, 85 were Indians. Rescuers also brought out 191 people trapped in tunnels of various hydropower projects.

The information provided by authorities also said 1,545 injured and stranded people had been rescued. One update said 84 people were undergoing treatment at hospitals in Kathmandu, while another put the number of injured people receiving treatment in the capital at 101.

Families, meanwhile, have been desperately searching for their missing loved ones.

Search and rescue operations continued for the third day, with 7,451 security personnel deployed, including 2,391 Nepal Army personnel, according to a police statement.

Helicopters were being used to reach isolated areas and evacuate survivors, while ground teams searched riverbanks and downstream settlements, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Morgues running out of space

The rising death toll has created another grim challenge, with morgues in several areas running out of space as bodies swept downstream by the floods continue to be recovered.

Bodies from Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been found as far downstream as Chitwan, Tanahun, Nawalparasi and Gorkha.

The situation underlines the sheer geographical reach of the disaster, with its impact extending far beyond the areas initially struck by the floods.

Government announces relief measures

The Nepal government has decided to halt all examinations from Aug 29 because of the situation following the disaster.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah and members of his cabinet also decided at a cabinet meeting to donate one month's salary to the disaster relief fund.

The cabinet directed the Finance Ministry to prepare a relief, concessional financing and rehabilitation package for people and businesses affected by the flash floods.

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Nepal explains stand on foreign aid

The Nepal government has denied refusing assistance from friendly countries and the international community. It said it wanted to prioritise the maximum deployment of its own security forces because they are familiar with local environmental conditions and the country's rugged terrain.

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told the National News Agency (RSS) that international assistance had not been rejected and that the rescue strategy was based on national capacity, immediate needs and Nepal's unique geographical situation.

China sounds alert over barrier lake

Adding to concerns, China sounded a Level IV alert late on Thursday after a large barrier lake formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers in Nepal.

China's emergency response system for natural disasters has four levels, with Level I the highest and Level IV the lowest.

Chinese authorities informed Nepal that around 2 million cubic metres of water had accumulated in the lake and another 3 million cubic metres could enter it over three days, raising fears of a possible breach.

The lake formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers. The rivers originate in Tibet and flow into Nepal as part of the Bhotekoshi river system.

The warning means Nepal is confronting not only the aftermath of Wednesday's deadly floods but also the possibility of further flooding. With thousands still missing and rescue teams working across difficult terrain, the risk from rising water remains a major concern.