Nepal says death toll rises to 1,252 as rescue operations continue

KATHMANDU: Catastrophic floods on the China-Nepal border have claimed at least 1,252 lives in Nepal, raising the total death toll to over 1,270, according to the disaster authority on Thursday. Chinese state media reported 21 fatalities in Tibet, bringing the overall death toll from the disaster that occurred on August 26 to 1,273.

Nepal currently has 4,216 people missing, with rescue operations ongoing at a rapid pace. In China, there are 541 missing individuals, raising the total to 4,757. Nearly 600 foreigners from over 30 countries remain unaccounted for, with Indians constituting one of the largest groups. A total of 75 Americans are also missing, according to the State Department on Wednesday.

Desperate families of missing foreigners in Kathmandu are searching hospitals and morgues for information about their loved ones. The floods, which devastated mountain districts, have destroyed roads, bridges, and infrastructure, posing challenges for relief efforts. Aid agencies are considering deploying porters and helicopters to deliver aid to the hardest-hit areas near the China border.

Nepali porters, long considered the backbone of trekking and mountaineering expeditions, are known for carrying heavy loads over steep trails in harsh conditions. Nepali army personnel and rescue teams, including foreign experts, are continuing their search for survivors trapped in several hydropower tunnels using excavators and heavy machinery.