29.08.2026 12:21
The death toll from the sudden flash floods in Nepal has risen to 626, and at least 2,426 people are still unreachable. While authorities stated that a significant portion of the bodies recovered from the riverbanks could not be visually identified due to severe decomposition, only four of the 233 bodies found in the area so far have been identified.
The death toll in the sudden flash flood disaster in Nepal's Himalayan region on the border with China has risen to 626, while it has been reported that at least 2,426 people are still unreachable.
HINDUS AND BUDDHISTS WERE ON A PILGRIMAGE
Following the sudden flash flood that struck the border region between Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Wednesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) of Nepal announced that 626 people lost their lives and 2,426 people are missing. Among the missing, there are 517 foreign nationals. It is noted that during the disaster, a large number of foreign tourists were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, which is considered sacred for Hindus and Buddhists.
DEATH TOLL IN TIBET RISES TO 7, 554 PEOPLE MISSING
According to Chinese state media, the confirmed death toll in the Tibet Autonomous Region has risen to 7, and there is still no news from 554 people. Chinese rescue teams were only able to reach Gyirong Border Port, one of the centers of the disaster on the Tibetan side, yesterday afternoon.
Satellite images also show that Gyirong, one of the main land crossings between Nepal and Tibet, has been largely destroyed.
RISK OF DISASTER CONTINUES
A new disaster risk that complicates search and rescue efforts also persists. Chinese state media reported that the water level in the lake formed by debris blocking the water after the initial disaster has risen again.
Authorities warned that new mudslides and landslides could occur. Rescue teams around Gyirong have begun using unmanned aerial vehicles and establishing observation points to monitor slope movements and provide early warnings.
IDENTITIES OF THE DECEASED CANNOT BE DETERMINED
With the scale of the disaster growing, identifying the bodies has also become a significant problem. Authorities in Nepal's Chitwan district stated that only four of the 233 bodies found in the area so far have been identified. Officials reported that a significant portion of the bodies recovered from health facilities and riverbanks cannot be visually identified due to severe decomposition. While 229 unidentified bodies are being held in health facilities and temporary centers, DNA samples continue to be collected.
INTERNATIONAL AID MOBILIZATION
The United Nations reported that tens of thousands of households need urgent food and drinking water, while the European Union announced it would provide 2 million euros in emergency humanitarian aid, and Canada announced it would provide 5 million Canadian dollars in support. New Zealand reported that it would transfer a total of 2 million New Zealand dollars to the Nepal Red Cross and other aid organizations.
The USA sent more than 2.5 tons of emergency aid supplies, including food, for two schools used as shelters in Rasuwa. India, with its third aid plane, sent 10 tons of humanitarian aid, as well as 11 doctors and health workers, and a reconnaissance team to support tunnel rescue operations to Nepal.