Kathmandu: The death toll from the devastating floods that struck Nepal on Wednesday has risen to 359, according to police. Rescue teams recovered more bodies from several affected districts on Thursday, pushing the toll higher.
The sudden floods, originating from Tibet, caused widespread destruction across towns and villages in central Nepal. Several major bridges were swept away, around a dozen hydropower projects were disrupted and floodwaters spread across multiple districts.
Nepal Army personnel and other security agencies are continuing search and rescue operations in Rasuwa, Dhading, Nuwakot and Chitwan, among other affected areas. Nepal Police spokesperson Abhi Narayan Kafle said 132 bodies, the highest number from any district, had been recovered from Chitwan.
826 people missing
Authorities estimate that around 826 people remain missing, including 590 tourists. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said 288 Indian nationals are among those reported missing.
The floods travelled through Rasuwa and other districts along the Trishuli and Narayani river systems, causing extensive damage to hydropower projects, settlements, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
Initial assessments by Nepalese authorities and revised analysis by the US Geological Survey suggested that the catastrophic flooding was triggered by a glacier collapse or snow/ice avalanche. The avalanche blocked the flow of the Lhende River, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi, before the flooding struck the Timure area near the Chinese border.
Families searching hospitals for relatives
In Kathmandu, families have been visiting hospitals, including Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, carrying photographs, addresses and mobile numbers of missing relatives. Hospitals have displayed lists of rescued people, injured victims and those who have died, while special desks have been established to register information about missing people.
Similar scenes were reported at Bharatpur Hospital in Chitwan, where families waited for information about their relatives.
The emergency ward at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital has been crowded with injured people brought from the affected areas. According to a recent update from Nepalese health authorities, 20 injured people were receiving treatment there, while others were being treated at hospitals including Trishuli Hospital in Nuwakot and Bir Hospital in Kathmandu.
The search and rescue operation remains underway across the affected areas.
