Nepal-Tibet toll tops 1,000 as tunnel rescue offers last hope

As glacial floods wreaked havoc across Nepal and Tibet, the death toll climbed to 1,003 on Tuesday, September 1, with nearly 4,500 people still missing. In Nepal's Nuwakot district, rescue teams, including Nepali soldiers, worked tirelessly to locate survivors trapped in hydropower tunnels. Despite the grim situation, Prime Minister Balendra Shah described the catastrophe as "unimaginable and heartbreaking."

In the capital Kathmandu, relatives gathered to search for their missing loved ones, posting photos outside a hospital, offering a glimmer of hope. Debu Sapkota, a 58-year-old driver, was among those desperate to locate his mother-in-law and granddaughter, who went missing in Trishuli Bazaar during the flood. Sapkota's hope dwindled when witnesses saw them being carried away by the torrent, leaving him with no reason to believe they survived.

The devastation left entire communities homeless and makeshift shelters inadequate as heavy rain continued to lash down. Over 2,000 emergency workers, including soldiers, were aiding rescue operations, working around the clock to repair roads, set up communication stations, and restore power lines. However, Tibetan advocacy groups in exile criticized China's account of the disaster, demanding complete and verifiable information about the damage and casualties.