Guwahati: The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal and Tibet has risen to 1,250, as rescue teams continue to navigate heavy rain, unstable terrain and debris in a search for people believed to be trapped in tunnels and underground powerhouses along Nepal’s Bhotekoshi River.
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has called for the disaster’s connection to climate change to be highlighted at the international level. The statement came as families of people still missing following last week’s floods held symbolic funerals in several areas.
Of those reported missing, 583 are foreign nationals, according to authorities.
Security forces, including the Nepal Army, have so far rescued 11,993 people through a combination of helicopter evacuations and ground operations. Around 21,314 security personnel have been deployed across the affected areas for search-and-rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, the flood disaster on the Chinese side of the border has also claimed lives. In Tibet’s Gyirong county, near Nepal, the death toll has climbed to 21, while another 541 people remain unaccounted for.
Addressing Nepal’s House of Representatives, Shah said the unprecedented scale of the disaster highlighted the mounting risks confronting communities across the Himalayan region. He stressed the need to examine the growing impact of climate change on vulnerable mountain settlements.
International development agencies, including the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, European Union and United Nations, have pledged assistance to the flood-hit areas.
Expert teams from India, China and South Korea are also being deployed to support rescue and recovery operations, particularly at hydropower facilities affected by the floods.