In Brief:
- 469 confirmed dead across eight districts
- 2,381 people missing, including 644 foreign nationals
- 127 Nepali visitors from abroad also reported missing
- Fresh flood threat: satellite images show Lhende stream blocked upstream, forming a lake
- 13,295 security personnel and 15 helicopters deployed for search, rescue and relief
- 1,545 rescued so far, though earlier reports recorded 1,976 rescues
- Rs 1 crore each released for Rasuwa and Nuwakot, Rs 50 lakh for Dhading for immediate relief
KATHMANDU, AuUGUST 28
The search for victims of the devastating Bhotekoshi flood has widened as the death toll reached 469 on Friday morning, while authorities warned that another major flood could hit downstream settlements if a natural dam formed upstream breaks.
According to Nepal Police, bodies have so far been recovered in eight districts, with the highest numbers in Chitwan (178) and Nawalparasi East (110). Identification of bodies has begun in Chitwan, while search operations are being intensified in Rasuwa.
Police said 2,381 people remain unaccounted for, including 644 foreign nationals. Among them are 178 Indians, 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 35 Australians, 33 Britons and 25 Canadians. Another 127 Nepali citizens living abroad who had come as visitors are also missing.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) warned that while the immediate impact of the flood may be subsiding, the danger has not passed. A satellite image taken Thursday showed the Lhende stream blocked upstream of Rasuwagadhi, creating a lake. Authorities cautioned that a breach could trigger another major flood, urging residents downstream along the Lhende, Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers to monitor river levels and heed warnings.
The government has deployed 13,295 security personnel and 15 helicopters for search, rescue, relief and rehabilitation. The deployment includes 7,250 Nepal Police, 4,200 Nepali Army and 1,845 Armed Police Force personnel. Police reported 1,545 rescues so far, though earlier NDRRMA figures recorded 1,976 rescues.
The NDRRMA said the disaster began on September 10, 2083 BS, when a snow-rock collapse covering about one square kilometre occurred near the Nepal-China border, generating a disturbance equivalent to a 5.2-magnitude seismic signal. The collapse sent a massive volume of water into the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems, causing widespread destruction.
Relief efforts continue alongside road and power restoration. Heavy equipment has been deployed along the Dhunche-Grang, Bidur-Trishuli-Dhunge and Baireni-Muglin sections, while the obstruction at Devighat has been cleared. The government has released Rs 1 crore each for Rasuwa and Nuwakot and Rs 50 lakh for Dhading for immediate relief.
Emergency supplies - including food, water, tents, blankets, solar lamps, generators and power banks - are being distributed. Fuel supplies are being maintained, with 18,000 litres each of diesel and petrol sent to affected areas. Meanwhile, 60 injured people are receiving treatment at hospitals in Kathmandu Valley.