Nepal flood death toll rises to 781, with 2,502 missing: disaster authority

KATHMANDU: Devastating floods that originated near the border with China claimed the lives of at least 781 individuals in Nepal, according to the country's disaster authority. Rescue operations are ongoing in an effort to locate 2,502 people who are still missing, as the disaster continues to disrupt the region on the fifth day.

Chinese state media earlier reported 16 fatalities in Tibet and 546 people missing following the disaster that struck on Wednesday. The total death count has now reached 797, with 3,048 individuals still unaccounted for. Among the missing are 592 foreigners, as well as 933 workers on hydropower projects situated along the river that was affected by the flood.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority in Nepal reported 1,910 missing citizens on Sunday, with 562 of those unaccounted for in the district of Rasuwa, which was among the hardest-hit areas. In India, authorities have managed to recover seven bodies from the rivers originating in Nepal, presumed to be victims of the flood, but these figures are not included in the ongoing toll.

Around 85 Americans remain missing after the catastrophic flood that swept through a remote region of the Nepali Himalayas, as per the State Department's report on Sunday. The US figure is merely a fraction of the more than 2,500 people still missing after the disaster. The United States and Canada have each pledged $3.6 million in aid, while the United Kingdom has offered $6.8 million in relief.

The United Nations also provided $2.5 million in emergency funding, with part of the US funding allocated towards road repairs and deploying specialized transport options to reach remote areas with food and other essential supplies. The disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse, as stated by the US Geological Survey, with Chinese experts identifying a "glacier on the southern slope of Lirung Peak in Nepal" that fractured.