- Nepal's flood death toll has reached 939, with 3,925 people still missing across several districts, including Chitwan and Rasuwa.
- Search teams are focused on rescuing nearly 1,000 workers feared trapped in hydropower tunnels blocked by mud and debris in Rasuwa.
- National security forces and international teams are using specialized equipment to clear landslides and reach remote settlements cut off by the floods.
- Extensive damage to infrastructure complicates assessment efforts, and officials warn the number of casualties could increase as search operations continue.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The death toll from the devastating floods that swept through Rasuwa and several downstream districts has reached 939, while 3,925 people remain unaccounted for, according to the latest figures released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
The authority said 939 bodies had been recovered across the affected districts as of 6 p.m. Monday. However, officials have warned that the number of missing people could increase as search and rescue teams reach previously inaccessible areas and receive updated information from remote settlements, hydropower projects and other affected locations.
The number of missing people has continued to change as communication links are restored and authorities verify reports from the disaster-hit areas. Hundreds of people are also believed to have been trapped inside hydropower project tunnels in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, making the final assessment of casualties difficult at this stage.
According to the NDRRMA, Chitwan has recorded the highest number of recovered bodies, with 279. Similarly, 216 bodies have been recovered in East Nawalparasi, 169 in West Nawalparasi, 95 in Nuwakot, 65 in Gorkha, 55 in Dhading, 38 in Tanahun and 23 in Rasuwa.
The authority said 3,925 people remained unaccounted for as of Monday evening. Officials have cautioned that the figure should not yet be considered final, as search operations are continuing in areas cut off by destroyed roads, washed-out bridges, landslides and massive deposits of mud and debris.
Search for missing intensifies
Nepali security agencies have intensified search and rescue operations in the worst-affected districts. The Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed to search for survivors, recover bodies, evacuate stranded people and clear debris.
The rescue operation has been particularly challenging in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, where several hydropower projects have been severely affected. Rescue teams are working to reach workers believed to be trapped inside tunnels blocked by mud, rocks and flood debris.
Nearly 1,000 hydropower workers have been feared trapped or missing at several project sites, according to recent reports. Rescue teams have been using excavators, controlled blasts, searchlights and other equipment to open blocked passages. Chinese, Indian and South Korean technical teams have also been assisting the rescue operation.
279 injured
The NDRRMA said 279 people had been injured in the disaster. Of them, 168 had received treatment and been discharged from hospitals as of Monday evening.
The Nepal Army has also provided medical treatment to around 2,700 people, according to the authority.
Meanwhile, relief agencies and government bodies have continued distributing food, drinking water, medicines and other essential supplies to survivors. Thousands of people have been evacuated from areas at risk of further flooding and landslides.
Full extent of damage yet to be assessed
The floods have caused extensive damage to houses, roads, bridges, electricity infrastructure and hydropower projects along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors.
The destruction of roads and bridges has made access to several affected communities extremely difficult. In some locations, rescue teams have had to rely on helicopters and temporary routes to reach stranded residents.
Officials say the full extent of the human and physical losses cannot yet be determined. The death toll and number of missing people are likely to change in the coming days as rescue teams recover more bodies, locate survivors and verify reports from remote areas.
With thousands of people still unaccounted for, the immediate priority remains the search for missing persons and those potentially trapped in hydropower tunnels. Authorities are continuing to urge residents and families to remain patient while security personnel and rescue teams carry out search and recovery operations across the affected areas.
