Nepal death toll crosses 1,300 as rescuers hunt missing flood victims

Rescue teams in Nepal pressed on with search and recovery operations on Tuesday, 11 days after a massive avalanche unleashed devastating floods across large swathes of the country. The confirmed death toll has climbed to 1,344, while authorities reported nearly 5,000 people missing, according to Nepal Police. More than 13,100 individuals have been rescued to date.

The disaster began on August 26 when an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border triggered a massive surge of water and debris through the Bhotekoshi River, sweeping away settlements, infrastructure and livelihoods in northern and central Nepal. The surging floodwaters destroyed homes, vehicles, roads, bridges and several hydropower installations in its path.

Identification of the deceased has proven challenging for authorities dealing with the disaster's scale. Among the 1,344 confirmed deaths in Nepal, at least 85 were children. Officials noted that approximately 500 recovered bodies had missing body parts, complicating identification efforts. The cross-border impact was significant, with Chinese media reports indicating at least 21 deaths on the Chinese side and over 500 people missing in Tibet.

The mountainous terrain and damaged infrastructure have hampered rescue operations, with teams facing continued logistical challenges in reaching remote affected areas and conducting systematic searches for the missing.