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Six bodies were recovered from a tunnel at a hydropower project in Nepal on Friday as search operations continued for people missing after devastating flash floods hit the Himalayan nation last month killing over 1,400 people and leaving more than 6,100 missing. The bodies were recovered from the Audit-3 tunnel at the Upper Trishuli-1 project site in Nuwakot district by a joint team of security forces, the Nepal Army said. The Bhotekoshi flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal, killing at least 1,410 people and leaving 6,145 missing as of Thursday. The search and rescue teams have so far rescued more than 13,756 people from different affected areas. The bodies in the Upper Trishuli-1 were found entangled inside a steel reinforcement mesh prepared for concrete work in the tunnel. The team used grinders, gas cutters and rotary rescue equipment to remove them, according to th
The death toll in Nepal due to the flash floods rose to 1,385 on Friday as more bodies were recovered from the affected districts, while search and rescue operations continue for more than 5,000 missing people. The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal. At least 364 bodies have been recovered from Chitwan district, 228 from Nawalparasi East, 222 from Nawalparasi West, 199 from Nuwakot, 185 from Rasuwa, 77 from Gorkha, 70 from Dhading and 38 from Tanahu, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said. Two victims of the flash floods died in Kathmandu while undergoing treatment. The joint command of security personnel has continued its search and rescue operations, with the number of missing people estimated to be 5,130. So far, 13,676 people have been rescued from different areas. Meanwhile, at least 703 Nepalese nationals, who were stranded
The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal climbed to 1,365 on Wednesday as more bodies were recovered from the affected areas, authorities said. Rescue teams continued to search for 5,326 people, including at least 589 foreign nationals, who remain missing, according to a Nepal Police news bulletin. Rescue teams recovered 363 bodies from Chitwan district, 226 from Nawalparasi East, 222 from Nawalparasi West, and 197 from Nuwakot. Similarly, 174 bodies were recovered from Rasuwa district, 75 from Gorkha, 70 from Dhading and 38 from Tanahu. So far, 102 bodies have been handed over to the family members after completing the identification process, police said. Security personnel have safely kept 1,147 unidentified bodies underground in accordance with all prescribed protocols, including the collection of DNA samples to facilitate their identification. The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and .
Nepal is racing to restore vital road links severed by devastating flash floods, seeking temporary bridges from India and China as authorities work to reconnect isolated communities in the disaster-hit areas. The death toll from the August 26 disaster stood at 1,356 as of Monday, while 4,994 people remained missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). A total of 13,396 people have been rescued so far. The floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border, sent the Bhotekoshi River raging downstream, washing away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects across northern and central Nepal. Nepal has sought temporary bridges from both India and China, which have responded positively. China has already sent two 100-metre Bailey bridges to the Korala border crossing in Mustang, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported on Tuesday. The Department of Roads has estimated damage to roads and bridges
The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal surged to 1,355 on Monday as more bodies were recovered from the affected areas, authorities said. Rescue teams continued to search for 4,996 people, including at least 589 foreign nationals, who remain missing, while 13,396 people have been rescued so far, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said. According to NDRRMA, 363 bodies have been recovered from Chitwan district, 221 from Nawalparasi West, 222 from Nawalparasi East and 197 from Nuwakot. Similarly, 169 bodies were recovered from Rasuwa, 75 from Gorkha, 70 from Dhading and 38 from Tanahu, it said. The joint command of security forces is actively conducting search and rescue operations. Major rescue operations are underway at hydropower projects in flood-affected districts, where hundreds of men are believed to be trapped in tunnels. Teams of experts from India and China are assisting their Nepali counterparts in these operations. T
Nepal on Monday observed a national day of mourning on the 13th day of the Rasuwa flash flood disaster, honouring more than 1,340 people who lost their lives in one of the country's deadliest natural disasters in recent history. Nearly 5,000 people remain missing, including 589 foreign nationals, after the flash floods struck Rasuwa, bordering China, and adjoining districts on August 26 following an ice-rock avalanche in the high Himalayas, causing widespread loss of life and extensive damage to infrastructure in northern and central Nepal. The government declared September 7 a national day of mourning to honour the victims of the catastrophic floods that swept through Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and other areas along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems. The mourning is being observed on the 13th day after the disaster, in keeping with the traditional Hindu practice of marking the thirteenth day following a death. The day is regarded in many Hindu communities as an important per
As many as 537 workers and employees remained unaccounted for at nine hydropower projects in Nepal's flood-hit Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, with rescue teams intensifying efforts to reach people believed trapped inside tunnels blocked by mud and debris. Rescue operations have been hampered by mud and debris blocking tunnel entrances, damaged infrastructure, difficult terrain and adverse weather, prompting Nepal to seek specialised assistance from India, China and other countries. According to the Independent Power Producers' Association in Nepal (IPPAN), 898 workers and employees at nine hydropower projects in the two districts were initially reported out of contact following the August 26 floods. Of them, 361 have been rescued, leaving 537 still unaccounted for, according to local media reports that cited IPPAN. The most serious situation is at the 216 MW Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, with 300 people still believed to be trapped inside the project's tunnel, the .
The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 724 on Sunday, with more bodies being recovered even as nearly 2,500 people are still missing following the disaster. Bodies have been recovered from all eight affected districts as rescuers race against time to search for those missing and rescue those stranded on the fifth day since the disaster. An ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a torrent of water, mud and debris downstream, wiping out towns and villages, damaging crucial infrastructure and washing away hydropower stations through central Nepal on Wednesday. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the death toll of the tragedy has surged to 724. So far, 259 dead bodies have been recovered from Chitwan, 184 from Nawalparasi East, 82 from Nawalparasi West and 58 from Gorkha districts, the NDRRMA said. Similarly, 52 bodies have been recovered from Nuwakot, 50 from Dhading, 36 from Tanahu and 13 fro
Over 275 Indians remained missing while 108 others were rescued following the devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border four days back, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday. It said 128 persons of Indian origin have also been uncontactable. The MEA said that 598 Indian nationals have safely crossed over Nepal from China in the last two days, while around 900 Indians are still on the Chinese side but are "safe and contactable". Late in the night, New Delhi sent a fourth tranche of 11 tonnes of relief materials to Nepal on board a C-130J military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the aircraft also carried a technical contingent along with equipment for search and rescue operations as well as a team of forensic experts for DNA analysis along with forensic equipment. The forensic team will help Nepalese authorities in identifying mortal remains of those killed in Wednesday's flash floods. Additionall
China on Friday said the collapse of a high-altitude glacier in Nepal may have triggered the massive flash flood disaster that engulfed the Tibet-Nepal border, killing hundreds and causing widespread damage. The death toll from Wednesday's flood-related devastation climbed to 469 in Nepal, while three people were killed in Tibet. "We noted that experts and official institutions of China and Nepal have made preliminary assessments on the cause of the disaster," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing here. "According to their analysis, the disaster may have been triggered by the collapse of a high-altitude glacier in Nepal," he said, answering a question. China's stand underscores that both Beijing and Kathmandu are on the same page about the cause of the disaster, which resulted in massive deaths and widespread damage to settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure. A preliminary assessment by Nepalese authorities and a revised analysis by
The Nepal flash floods have disrupted cross-border trade between India and the neighbouring country, with the movement of goods vehicles to Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal via Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh, affected by damaged and flooded roads. A queue of around 16 km of cargo vehicles has formed on the Indian side of the Sonauli border in Maharajganj as trucks wait to enter Nepal. Besides vehicles bound for Kathmandu, cargo trucks heading to other parts of Nepal are also facing delays as traffic movement on several routes remains affected. The queue has extended towards Nautanwa, raising concerns over traffic movement on the national highway. Security agencies and police personnel are monitoring the situation and regulating the movement of vehicles. Circle Officer Basant Singh said, "Surveillance at the Sonauli border has been intensified, and police station heads in the border areas have been directed to remain alert." Officials warned that the situation could worsen if road
Nepal authorities on Friday issued a fresh flood warning after the water level increased at the site where a devastating flash flood occurred earlier this week, urging people and rescue workers in the area to move to safer locations. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said the rise in the water level at the same site raised the risk of another flood in the area. The warning comes after a massive flash flood swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday, killing hundreds and causing widespread damage to settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure. "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 authority said in a fresh notice. The NDRRMA urged people involved in search and rescue operations, as well as those staying in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli areas for various reasons, to remain highly alert a
Chinese officials on Friday said more than 1,000 people, including 555 tourists, have been evacuated from Gyirong County near the Tibet-Nepal border after devastating flash floods that caused heavy casualties. The flash floods struck Gyirong Port in the Tibet Autonomous Region on Wednesday, sweeping through villages and towns near the China-Nepal border area. Three people were killed in Tibet and 469 in Nepal, while hundreds of others remain missing. A total of 499 villagers and construction workers as well as 555 affected tourists were evacuated in Gyirong County and transferred under the coordination of cultural and tourism authorities, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. No tourist remains stranded in the area now, according to the state-run Global Times. Residents affected by the flash floods in Gyirong County have been resettled, and all stranded tourists have been transferred, Xinhua quoted local authorities as saying. Civil aviation authorities also joined the re
The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 469 on Friday, with more bodies recovered as search and rescue operations continued for the third day following the disaster. In a statement, Nepal Police said the bodies were recovered from eight districts of the Himalayan nation. According to the police, 178 dead bodies have been recovered from Chitwan, 110 from Nawalparasi East, 44 from Gorkha, 37 from Nuwakot and 33 from Dhading district. Similarly, 28 bodies have been recovered from Tanahu, 27 from Nawalparasi West and 12 from Rasuwa. So far, 1,545 injured and stranded people have been rescued from various affected regions. Among them, 84 are currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Kathmandu. Search and rescue operations continued for the third day of the tragic incident with the mobilisation of 7,451 security personnel, including 2,391 Nepal Army personnel, the statement said. An ice-rock avalanche triggered by a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet b
The Assam flood toll rose to 47 with six more deaths reported on Thursday, while the number of people affected by the deluge increased to over 7.21 lakh in 11 districts, an official bulletin said. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said several major rivers continued to flow over the danger level with rains in most parts of the state threatening to aggravate the situation. Six more people died in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 47 in this year's floods so far, the bulletin said. Four deaths were reported from Sivasagar, and two from Charaideo, it said. Over 7.21 lakh people remained affected by the floods in 37 revenue circles and 883 villages across Golaghat, Hojai, Kamrup, Charaideo, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Nagaon, Kamrup (M), Karbi Anglong and Tinsukia districts, the ASDMA said. Sivasagar was the worst-hit district with 3.75 lakh people hit by the deluge, followed by Charaideo with 1.86 lakh and Jorhat with 1.15 lakh, it said. Till Wednesday, 6.4
Eight people, including six children returning from school, have gone missing in Sri Lanka when the farm tractor they were traveling on was swept away by floods triggered by heavy rains, police said Wednesday. Army and navy troops were deployed to rescue victims and provide food and other essentials to those affected. Sri Lanka has experienced heavy downpours and strong winds over the past two days that have flooded homes, fields and roads and forced authorities to suspend train services in tea-growing mountain areas. In the worst incident, a farm tractor carrying 11 school children was swept away Tuesday evening in the eastern region of the country, police said. Five children were rescued while six other children along with the driver and another adult are still missing in the incident near the town of Karaitivu. A search operation is underway, police said in a statement. Separately, a woman died when a brick wall collapsed on her in the mountainous region of Badulla in the centr