Rescue operations in regions hit by severe flash floods along the Nepal-China border continued for the fourth consecutive day. Authorities persisted in locating survivors and moving them to safety, while families at relief centers anxiously awaited updates on their missing loved ones as the death toll and number of unaccounted individuals rose.
Chinese officials confirmed seven fatalities and over 550 missing persons, while Nepal’s disaster agency reported a death toll of 669 with 2,426 individuals unaccounted for. In Nepal, over 3,700 people have been rescued thus far.
In the devastated Nuwakot district in Nepal, helicopters resumed rescue efforts after weather conditions briefly hindered aerial operations. Aid supplies, including clothing and food items like noodles and rice, were airlifted to affected areas, with some helicopters bringing back survivors.
In Trishuli, villagers started returning to their ruined homes to salvage belongings. Amid the devastation, emotional reunions unfolded, such as a woman, Shoba Shrestha, finding her dog Sweetie, whom she had to leave behind during the floods.
In Kathmandu, families gathered outside hospitals, desperately searching for news of missing relatives. Photos of the missing were posted on walls, and relatives lingered between information desks and patient lists, hoping for any sign of their loved ones.
Rescue efforts continued in various locations in Nepal and Tibet, focusing on areas like the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project and the Gyirong border crossing. Rescuers faced challenges, including the risk of further flooding from a new lake formed post-glacier collapse.
On the Chinese side, rescue operations intensified at Gyirong Port, with images showing rescuers arriving by foot, rafts, and drones. The death toll in Nepal rose to 626, with 2,426 missing individuals, while seven deaths were reported in China, with 554 people missing.
Aid trucks were seen en route from Kathmandu to the affected regions, and Canadian authorities confirmed the safety of a previously missing individual. However, 31 Canadians remain unaccounted for, with efforts ongoing to locate them.
The situation remains grave as rescuers work tirelessly to find survivors and provide support in the aftermath of the catastrophic floods in the region.