Nepal flood death toll at 616: ‘At least $4 bn’ needed for rebuilding; minister denies refusing foreign help — 5 points

More than five hundred people have died and nearly two thousand are missing after flash floods struck the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday. The death toll has risen from five hundred and fifty-three reported on Friday, according to the Nepal Police. Almost two thousand and four hundred individuals remain unaccounted for, with a significant number of them being foreign nationals from countries like India, Malaysia, Australia, and the United States.

Nepal estimates that the rebuilding efforts will require between four and five billion dollars due to the extensive damage caused by the floods, which have affected infrastructure and livelihoods. The government has stated that it will prioritize the deployment of its own security forces for rescue operations while being open to international assistance in specialized areas of expertise.

Nepal has not requested foreign search and rescue teams as local rescuers are currently managing the operations effectively. Chinese state media has reported seven deaths and over five hundred and fifty-four people missing on the Chinese side. The number of missing individuals has surged past two thousand four hundred on Friday, with rescue teams recovering six hundred and twenty-three bodies.

Over three thousand seven hundred people have been rescued so far in Nepal. Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle informed Reuters on Saturday that the country needs four to five billion dollars for rebuilding, though this is just an estimate. Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal emphasized that the government is ready to accept international assistance in technical areas where it lacks expertise, such as rescuing people from tunnels, restoring transport services, identifying deceased individuals, conducting DNA testing, and storing bodies for extended periods.

Neighboring countries India and China have offered assistance, including the construction of Bailey bridges to reopen transport routes in the disaster-hit areas.