Rescuers claw through mud as Nepal, China flood death toll climbs to 675

Devastating floods near Nepal's border with China have caused at least 675 deaths, according to the nation's disaster authority on Saturday. Chinese state media earlier reported seven fatalities in Tibet following the disaster on Wednesday, pushing the total death toll to 682. Rescuers in both countries are struggling to locate thousands of missing individuals days after the catastrophic event, with the number of Nepali missing remaining constant at 2,426.

This list includes 517 foreigners, 933 workers on hydropower projects, 45 Nepali Army soldiers, 40 police officers, and 19 immigration and customs officers. In India, seven bodies believed to be flood victims have been recovered from rivers originating in Nepal, though they are not included in the official toll. Rescuers in Nepal face immense challenges, battling through thick, muddy terrain to find survivors.

Kawan Koirala, a rescue worker from the Nepal Scout Disaster Response Team, expressed the emotional toll of the situation, stating that even after an 18-hour shift, they continue to struggle in the "mud" and face traumatic experiences. Buddhi Ram Dangol, a survivor, described the aftermath as a complete loss of settlements near the river, with nothing left.

In Bidur's army base, relatives anxiously await information on their missing loved ones, desperately searching through lists of rescued individuals. The threat of additional flooding from a lake formed by the glacier collapse has diminished, though fears of further disaster persist. The Red Cross estimates that up to 93,000 people may have been affected by the disaster, with the death toll expected to rise.