The death toll from devastating flash floods in central Nepal has risen to 675, with authorities continuing to recover bodies and search for over 2,400 individuals still unaccounted for following the disaster.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that search and rescue operations are ongoing across eight affected districts, with police reporting the recovery of numerous bodies on Saturday. The floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border resulting from a glacial collapse, unleashed a destructive torrent of water, mud, and debris through central Nepal on Wednesday. This deluge obliterated towns and villages, critically damaged infrastructure, and washed away hydropower stations.
Nepal Police confirmed in a statement that 675 bodies have been recovered from the eight flood-affected districts. Significant numbers of recovered bodies include 246 from Chitwan, 165 from Nawalparasi East, 63 from Nawalparasi West, and 57 from Gorkha. Additionally, 45 bodies were found in Dhading district, 51 in Nuwakot, 35 in Tanahu, and 13 in Rasuwa, underscoring the widespread devastation.
As of Saturday, more than 2,400 people remained missing. The scale of the disaster necessitated the evacuation of nearly 2,500 individuals, including 163 foreign nationals. Rescue teams, coordinated by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), are working tirelessly against time, contending with intermittent rainfall in the affected regions.
The response effort involves over 11,000 security personnel, with more than 5,000 members of the Nepal Army actively engaged in search and rescue missions. The NDRRMA has issued a stern warning against the operation of drones by unauthorized individuals or organizations in the flood-affected areas where rescue operations are in progress. The authority stated that such activities, conducted without prior permission from local administration, could lead to legal action, emphasizing the need to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the ongoing relief and rescue work.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
