Nepal flood disaster deepens as missing toll surges past 2,400

The death toll from the recent disaster in Nepal and China has surged past 2,400, as missing persons are estimated to number over 2,400 as well. The massive flood unleashed by a glacial collapse has devastated villages and claimed hundreds of lives. Rescuers have recovered 584 bodies so far, with some dead washing downstream as far as India.

In Nepal, 933 hydropower workers have been added to the missing list, joining trekkers and pilgrims to Mount Kailash. Relatives of the missing have gathered in hospitals, desperate for information, as posters bearing the names and photos of the missing adorn hospital walls. The disaster, the deadliest for Nepal since a 2015 earthquake, was caused by a glacial collapse that triggered a massive flow of icy debris, creating huge lakes that pose a continued threat to emergency workers searching for survivors.

Nepali police have urged rescuers to move to a safe location, citing reports of a burst dam on the Tibetan side. In Tibet, China has temporarily halted rescue efforts due to the risk of renewed flooding, but later stated that the threat had eased. Chinese President Xi Jinping offered assistance to Nepal's emergency operations. Rescue teams are working to extract survivors from affected zones, where food and water supplies are dwindling.

In Nepal, at least 579 people are reported dead, while 1,924 remain missing, including 517 foreigners. In Tibet, authorities say 558 people are missing, with five deaths, and have evacuated 555 stranded tourists and 499 Chinese residents.