The death toll from devastating floods along Nepal’s Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers near the Nepal-China border has risen to 734, while 2,498 people remain missing, according to the latest government figures.
Among those missing are 85 security personnel involved in rescue operations, including 45 members of the Nepali Army, 27 Nepal Police officers and 13 personnel from the Armed Police Force.
The latest figures were released at 9am on Sunday (August 30) by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) in its updated report on search, rescue and relief operations, according to The Kathmandu Post.
NDRRMA said a total of 734 bodies and human remains have been recovered from various flood-affected districts.
Chitwan recorded the highest number of recovered bodies, with 259, followed by Nawalparasi East with 184 and Nawalparasi West with 82. Authorities also recovered 58 bodies in Gorkha, 52 in Nuwakot, 50 in Dhading, 36 in Tanahun and 13 in Rasuwa.
The powerful currents of the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers swept away people and debris, resulting in bodies being recovered hundreds of kilometres downstream from the areas where the floods occurred.
The highest number of missing people has been reported in Rasuwa, where district authorities say 562 people remain unaccounted for. Nuwakot has reported 115 missing people, while 65 are missing in Makwanpur.
The missing persons include 933 people associated with hydropower projects, according to the authorities.
Meanwhile, 589 foreign nationals and 127 Nepali citizens travelling with them are also reported missing. The list additionally includes the 85 missing security personnel.
The government said 242 people were injured in the floods. The figure includes both those currently receiving treatment and those who have already been discharged from hospitals.
Rescue and relief operations remain underway in the affected districts. A total of 19,895 security personnel have been deployed for search, rescue and relief operations, including 8,399 members of the Nepali Army, 7,213 police officers and 4,203 Armed Police Force personnel.
Authorities continue to search for missing people as rescue teams work across the flood-hit areas.
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