Nepal Flash Flood Update: More Than 570 Dead and Nearly 2,000 Missing

The flash floods that struck the Nepal-Tibet border have paralysed the mountainous region and claimed hundreds of lives. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has recorded a sharp rise in the number of missing people to 1,924, of whom 517 are foreign nationals.

By the third day after the disaster, the total death toll in Nepal had surpassed 570, while in Tibet at least five people were reported dead and 550 others missing. The disaster has devastated vital infrastructure, cutting off main road access, bringing down bridges and damaging communication networks in the border area.

The Nepalese government has deployed around 15,000 security personnel to lead search and rescue (SAR) operations. Although around 4,000 residents and 100 foreign tourists have been evacuated, SAR teams on the ground face major obstacles due to the destruction of land access and continuous heavy rain.

On the other side of the border, the Chinese military temporarily suspended SAR operations over concerns that a natural lake formed after the floods could burst and trigger a secondary wave of flooding. Authorities have warned of the threat of additional landslides amid high rainfall projected throughout the weekend.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has conveyed official condolences to Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel and affirmed a commitment to assist with disaster recovery. Meanwhile, foreign ministries from various countries continue to coordinate with local authorities to trace hundreds of foreign tourists, climbers and pilgrims who remain unaccounted for in the affected area.