Nepal flood: Death toll crosses 900, thousands still missing
Rescue teams are racing to reach stranded people, even as nearly 4,800 remain missing. Meanwhile, mass burials have sparked controversy in Nepal.
An unprecedented flash flood in Nepal and Tibet has claimed over 900 lives and left around 4,800 people missing, with rescue operations in their sixth day. Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet of Nepal's army reported that efforts were underway to rescue trapped individuals from hills, settlements, and river areas. Many bodies have been recovered in southern Nepal, far from the most affected regions.
The customary Hindu practice of cremation has sparked controversy as some victims are being buried in mass graves. Multiple foreign rescue teams are aiding local authorities in reaching workers trapped in hydropower tunnels in Nepal, with at least 90 people still trapped in these tunnels. In India's Uttar Pradesh state, authorities have recovered 17 bodies from rivers originating in Nepal, though these fatalities have not been included in the official death toll pending identification.
Scientists speculate that a glacier collapse in the Himalayas may have triggered the disaster, causing a surge of water through the mountain river systems, overwhelming towns and damaging hydropower plants.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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