Kathmandu, Nepal – The devastating flash floods that swept across northern and central Nepal, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, have claimed at least 1,295 lives, authorities reported on Friday. In a remarkable turn of events, two workers were rescued alive from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project after being trapped for nine days.
Information was available with The Chenab Times indicating that recovery efforts are ongoing, with more bodies being found across the eight most affected districts. Chitwan district has reported the highest number of fatalities with 359 recovered bodies, followed by Nawalparasi East with 221 and Nawalparasi West with 212. Nuwakot district has recorded 186 deaths, Rasuwa 140, Gorkha 72, Dhading 65, and Tanahu 38, according to Nepal Police.
The death toll officially reached 1,295 on Friday after two flood victims died in separate hospitals in Kathmandu. Joint search and rescue operations, involving security forces, are continuing for an estimated 5,000 individuals still missing. To date, 13,093 people have been safely rescued from the flood-affected areas.
The two men pulled alive from the tunnel were identified by the Nepal Army’s Public Relations Directorate as Kabir Maharjan, 45, a mechanical supervisor, and Sanjay Sah, 30, a foreman. Maharjan, described as being in critical condition, was airlifted to the Nepal Army Hospital in Chhauni, Kathmandu. Sah is receiving treatment at the Trishuli hospital in Nuwakot, according to Nepali Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet.
Sah, who hails from the Saptari district in Madhesh province, recounted chanting the ‘Hare Krishna’ mantra for the duration of his nine-day ordeal. Maharjan’s wife expressed profound gratitude for the rescuers, stating her husband had been given a “second life” and that the family was overjoyed by his survival.
Meanwhile, international aid has been arriving to support Nepal’s relief efforts. India dispatched its sixth and seventh relief flights on Thursday night, delivering 21.5 tonnes of essential supplies, including forensic kits and medical equipment, to Kathmandu. India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, confirmed the handover of these materials, intended to bolster ongoing rescue and relief operations and assist affected communities.
The disaster has also raised concerns about the welfare of children. Approximately 600 children remain unaccounted for in the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Preliminary figures suggest around 280 children are missing in Rasuwa, and an additional 300 to 350 in Nuwakot, based on data compiled by local education authorities and institutions. Educational officials are working to gather verified figures amidst communication challenges caused by the devastation.
The floods have not only impacted residents but also the education sector. Twenty-two teachers and school staff members are reported missing across Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Several teachers from Dhading and Gorkha, who were on a pilgrimage in Rasuwa, are also among the missing. Preliminary records indicate 280 students missing in Rasuwa and about 300 in Nuwakot. The floods have affected 22 schools in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading, with 12 institutions completely destroyed.
In a bid to support economic recovery, the Nepal government has announced a special relief package for businesses impacted by the floods. This package includes concessions, loan restructuring, and access to cheaper credit. Businesses that suffered irreparable losses to their commercial vehicles, equipment, or machinery will be permitted to import replacements without customs duties. This concession extends to goods already taxed but destroyed before delivery. Provincial and local governments are also expected to offer temporary relief on taxes and fees for affected businesses.
Nepal Rastra Bank, the nation’s central bank, has been directed to facilitate loan restructuring and rescheduling for flood-affected borrowers. The Insurance Authority has been tasked with expediting insurance claims, allowing insurers to deploy surveyors under simplified procedures and provide advance payments of up to 50 percent of estimated losses.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
