More than 1,200 people killed in Nepal after sudden floods
Rescue and recovery operations have intensified in Nepal after catastrophic sudden floods near the border with Tibet. According to Nepal’s disaster management agency, at least 1,200 people have been killed, while more than 4,200 remain missing. BBC News reports on the operation.
On the Tibetan side of the border, 21 people have died and more than 540 are missing, according to Chinese state media. Chinese rescuers are searching for people in the area of the Gyirong border crossing, but no survivors found there have been reported.
Search operations and aid delivery
Nepalese authorities said that nearly 12,000 people have been rescued since the disaster began. At the same time, thousands of people, including hundreds of foreign nationals, are still considered missing. Rescuers are also trying to reach workers who are believed to be trapped in hydropower plant tunnels.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, access to affected areas remains the main obstacle to providing aid: the floods destroyed more than 40 bridges. Supplies are being delivered to the most remote communities by army helicopters. Villages are also facing problems with fuel and electricity supplies. Drones are being used to search for people in hard-to-reach areas, while specialists from China and India are helping build temporary bridges.
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Evacuation and humanitarian situation
In the Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts, nearly 3,500 people have been left homeless and moved to 27 temporary accommodation sites, mostly schools. The UN warned that overcrowded shelters, contaminated water and damaged medical facilities increase the risk of disease spreading at the height of the monsoon season.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah said that priorities include protecting survivors, medical assistance and psychological support. The government declared a state of disaster in 15 affected districts for three months. Nepal and the UN also agreed to launch a four-month emergency humanitarian appeal.
The sudden flood that destroyed villages in a Himalayan valley on August 26 was likely caused by a glacier collapse. A new report points to signs of increasing instability around the glacier several days before the collapse. Experts noted that better early warning systems could have saved lives.
