Nepal-Tibet Missing Count Surges to 2,478 as Rescue Operations Continue

Nepal experienced devastating flash floods along the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, resulting in at least 586 deaths and 2,478 people missing, according to official reports. The floods have also left 320 Indians unaccounted for in Nepal, while around 400 Indians stranded in Tibet have been traced and are safe, stated the Ministry of External Affairs.

India has dispatched 57.5 tonnes of emergency supplies in three military aircraft, along with a 11-member team of doctors and paramedics, a reconnaissance team, and 15,000 personnel for rescue operations. Furthermore, they have offered assistance including Bailey bridges, technical teams, and NDRF teams to Nepal for restoring connectivity and conducting search and rescue efforts.

The disaster has severely impacted the hydropower sector, with eight projects damaged or disrupted. In Nepal's Trishuli-1 hydropower project, over 300 survivors were airlifted to safety. The unstable terrain and a large lake near the Rasuwagadhi border crossing, formed by debris blocking the Lhende River, have complicated rescue operations.

Chinese officials reported that the barrier lake had accumulated around 2 million cubic meters of water by Thursday morning and could gain another 3 million cubic meters within three days. The formation of the lake has raised concerns of further flooding. Nepal's Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle stated that the country might require at least a few billion dollars for reconstruction, as critical infrastructure has been destroyed by the floods.