The death toll from Wednesday’s flash flood in Nepal has hit over 400 with 1000-1500 people still believed to be missing.
A catastrophic flash flood hit the Nepal–China (Tibet) border along the Lhende Khola, Bhote Koshi, and Trishuli river systems, severely devastating northern Nepal’s Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts. Whole houses, farmlands and infrastructure were washed away in the incident.
Among the dead and those believed to be missing are local villagers, workers at swept-away hydropower projects, and hundreds of foreign tourists, trekkers, and pilgrims (notably from India, the US, Australia, the UK, and Canada).
So far, the armed forces of Nepal alongside Chinese search and rescue teams with assistance from the United Nations are engaged in rescuing survivors clearing debris and recovering the bodies of those killed in by the floods.
However, the authorities in Nepal and China have issued urgent flood warnings for downstream communities due to ongoing risks of the barrier lake overflowing or bursting, compounded by active monsoon rainfall.