Nepal, China Search for Thousands Missing After Flood

KATHMANDU/BEIJING: (News Desk) – Rescue teams in Nepal and China continued searching on Saturday for thousands of people still missing after a devastating wall of water, ice and debris swept through Himalayan communities, destroying villages and leaving widespread destruction in its wake.

The number of missing people has climbed to nearly 3,000, according to the latest figures from both countries. At least 633 bodies have been recovered, while some victims are believed to have been carried downstream into India.

Nepal’s disaster authorities have added 933 hydropower workers to the missing persons list. The list also includes trekkers, tourists and pilgrims travelling toward Tibet’s sacred Mount Kailash.

Survivors described scenes of devastation, saying entire settlements along rivers had disappeared within minutes. Many are now waiting anxiously for information about relatives and friends who remain unaccounted for.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the disaster had caused enormous trauma and may have affected as many as 93,000 people. Officials warned that the death toll could increase as rescue teams reach remote and severely damaged areas.

Emergency crews are facing major challenges, including shortages of food and drinking water as well as the threat of additional flooding. Floodwaters mixed with ice and mud have created large temporary lakes, raising concerns for both survivors and rescuers.

Nepali police urged emergency personnel to move to safer locations after receiving reports that another water barrier had burst on the Tibetan side of the border.

In Tibet, Chinese authorities temporarily suspended rescue operations in the worst-hit area of Gyirong because of concerns over renewed flooding. State media later reported that the danger had eased and that two villagers had been rescued.

Hydropower workers trapped

On the Nepali side, military teams located workers trapped inside tunnels at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project. Two helicopters were deployed, although rescuers faced difficulties locating tunnel entrances because of the extensive destruction.

The army said around 350 workers and residents had already been brought to safety, while efforts continued to rescue more than 100 people believed to be trapped in the area.

Workers rescued from other hydropower projects along the Trishuli Valley said the flooding struck with extraordinary speed. Some survived only because they were inside tunnels when the torrent hit.

Nepal reported 626 deaths on Saturday, while 2,426 people, including hundreds of foreign nationals, remained out of contact.

Across the border in Tibet, Chinese state media reported seven deaths and 554 missing people. Authorities said they had also evacuated 555 stranded tourists and 499 Chinese residents from affected areas.

Meanwhile, Indian authorities reported recovering seven bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal, with the victims believed to have been swept away by the floods.

Pilgrims among those missing

The disaster has also affected large numbers of Hindu pilgrims travelling toward Mount Kailash, a major religious destination in Tibet.

Indian pilgrim Sivaranjani Muthunathan, who was travelling with a group of 56 people toward the Chinese border, described how what initially appeared to be a traffic jam suddenly turned into a life-threatening disaster.

She said thick fog and debris appeared suddenly before a powerful torrent surged toward their vehicles. Several vehicles were swept away or buried in mud, forcing the passengers to escape and climb to higher ground.

Rescue operations remain underway across the Himalayan region as authorities struggle to reach isolated communities and determine the fate of thousands still missing.