The death toll from devastating flash floods and mudslides along the Nepal-Tibet border has climbed to 903, with more than 4,200 people still reported missing. Authorities confirmed the updated figures on Monday, following the disaster that struck last week.
Among the 4,247 individuals unaccounted for are 85 security personnel and 320 foreign nationals, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). Rescue teams are working around the clock, focusing efforts on several hydropower projects where at least 933 workers are feared trapped in blocked tunnels across six sites.
The catastrophic event unfolded on August 26, when a massive torrent of ice, rock, mud, and debris swept through towns and villages in northern and central Nepal, extending across the border into China. Officials attribute the flooding to a likely collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the border, with a glacier collapse also cited as a potential trigger. In Tibet, Chinese state media reported 16 deaths and 546 missing persons from the same incident.
Bodies have been recovered from all eight affected districts. The NDRRMA detailed the findings: 272 from Chitwan, 207 from Nawalparasi East, 151 from Nawalparasi West, 95 from Nuwakot, 62 from Gorkha, 55 from Dhading, 37 from Tanahu, and 24 from Rasuwa.
Nepal's foreign ministry confirmed that 886 people have been rescued so far, with search and rescue operations continuing intensively. Several countries, including India, China, and the Republic of Korea, have dispatched tunnel rescue teams to assist in the complex evacuation efforts for those trapped.
Residents in affected areas received fresh flood warnings via mobile phones as water levels in the Bhotekoshi River rose. These alerts followed information from Chinese authorities regarding increased upstream water flow, prompting warnings of high flash flood risk in Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts.
India has played a significant role in the relief efforts, being among the first major countries to deliver aid. India's Ministry of External Affairs reported that 149 Indian nationals have been rescued in Nepal, and 598 safely crossed into Nepal from China. Approximately 900 Indian nationals remain on the Chinese side but are reported to be safe and contactable. India has delivered over 68 tonnes of emergency relief supplies on four military flights.