Flooding death toll tops 600 as UK rapid response team heads to Nepal

The death toll from flooding in Nepal has surpassed 600, as a UK rapid response team heads to the country to provide support. Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority confirmed 626 fatalities, with nearly 2,500 people missing. Among the missing are more than 30 British nationals. Nepal Army spokesman Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet stated that helicopter operations were suspended until weather conditions improved.

The rescue team, arriving in Kathmandu, will assist British nationals and their families, coordinate aid, and provide support for those seeking information about missing relatives. The team will collaborate with the British embassy, local authorities, and the Nepalese Army. Rescue efforts are ongoing at a hydropower construction plant, where over 100 people are trapped in a mud-filled tunnel due to fears of further flooding caused by a glacier collapse. The UK has pledged £5 million in humanitarian aid for relief and recovery efforts.