Nepal floods: 469 killed as rescue operations continue

A massive torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris swept through Himalayan mountain river systems in Nepal after a glacier collapse triggered flash floods, killing over 469 people. Rescue operations are ongoing as the threat of additional flooding persists, with emergency teams recovering 584 bodies so far. The disaster has resulted in more than 2,400 people missing across Nepal and China, including two Irish citizens, Santosh Sahu and Spandan Sahu.

Nepal's disaster authority added 933 hydropower workers to the list of missing individuals. Two lakes have formed upstream of the flood zone, with one growing in size and lacking an outlet, posing a significant risk of bursting. All Chinese rescue personnel and vehicles withdrew from the area as a precaution. Nepal is monitoring the situation and managing rescue efforts itself, declining outside assistance.

South Korea, along with several other countries, is offering help but Nepal maintains it can handle the rescue operations independently. Authorities are relying on satellite imagery to track conditions, but monitoring is limited by the availability of images. The Nepalese military is attempting to reach 100 people trapped in a tunnel of the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, with two helicopters dispatched but finding it challenging to locate the entry points.

Over 350 workers and residents have been brought to safety from the tunnel, but efforts continue to extract the remaining individuals.