The death toll from the flash floods in Nepal rose to 1,003 on Tuesday as security forces recovered more bodies from eight districts, officials said. Rescuers were still trying to trace people stranded in flood-hit areas as intermittent rain continued and authorities issued a fresh alert over rising river levels in eastern, central and western Nepal.
Around 4,000 people, including 583 foreigners and several security personnel, remain missing, while nearly 12,000 people have been rescued, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said. The floods were triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26 and went on to devastate towns and villages in northern and central Nepal.
The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects. On the Chinese side, 16 people were killed and nearly 550 remain missing in Tibet, according to Chinese media reports.
In Nepal, 321 bodies were recovered in Chitwan district, followed by 216 in Nawalparasi East, 170 in Nawalparasi West, 95 in Nuwakot, 65 in Gorkha, 57 in Dhading, 41 in Rasuwa and 38 in Tanahun, according to the authority.
Authorities on Tuesday issued a fresh flood alert for several districts. The authority said there was a high possibility of flash floods in Nuwakot and Rasuwa, where water flow in smaller rivers and streams is expected to rise. It also warned of rising water levels and a moderate risk of flash floods in Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Kavrepalanchok, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Dhading in central Nepal. In western Nepal, the districts under alert include Gorkha, Lamjung, Dolpa, Rukum East, Rukum West, Jajarkot, Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Doti, Kailali and Kanchanpur. People living along riverbanks and in other vulnerable areas have been asked to remain alert and take necessary precautions.
Water levels in several rivers, including the Koshi, Narayani, Bagmati, Karnali and Mahakali and their tributaries, as well as the Kankai, Kamala, Babai, Eastern Rapti and Western Rapti, are being closely monitored. A real-time CCTV camera has been installed at Timure in Rasuwa district to directly monitor river and flood conditions in the area. Authorities said the camera was installed to provide timely information on flood risks in the border area and strengthen the early warning system. Work is also under way to manage the Very Small Aperture Terminal and communication systems needed to make the system fully operational. Officials said footage and information from the camera will be linked with the 24-hour flood forecast and early warning service to support continuous monitoring and help identify early signs of flooding.
Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha on Tuesday held discussions with senior officials from the energy and meteorology departments and with experts on weather conditions and possible flood risks in affected areas, including Rasuwa and Nuwakot. According to the minister’s office, the discussions focused on continuous river monitoring, strengthening the early warning system and speeding up preparations for risk reduction. The government has mobilised more than 21,300 security personnel for search and rescue operations, while helicopters have been making repeated sorties to evacuate stranded people and deliver relief supplies.
The floods washed away 19 motorable bridges and several highways and arterial roads, including Nepal’s main land trade link with China and the Rasuwagadhi border crossing. With traffic pressure rising after the floods in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, authorities have imposed one-way traffic rules on the Prithvi and Tribhuvan highways linking Kathmandu with other parts of the country. Vehicles with a maximum capacity of 14 seats travelling from Kathmandu to Hetauda have been told to use the Farping-Fakhel-Kulekhani-Bhimfedi route, while those travelling from Hetauda to Kathmandu should take the Bhimfedi-Kulekhani-Sisneri-Dakshinkali route. Larger cargo and passenger vehicles with up to 10 wheels travelling from Hetauda to Kathmandu have been asked to use the Tribhuvan Highway, while those returning to Hetauda should take the Kanti Highway. The arrangements were put in place after floods washed away sections of the highway at Krishnabhir in Dhading district.
In sum, Nepal is facing a rising death toll, thousands of missing people, continuing rescue efforts and fresh flood risks across many districts, while authorities monitor rivers, strengthen warning systems and manage major disruptions to roads and border links.
With PTI Inputs
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