World News
Hundreds dead and over 1,000 missing after flash flood in Nepal
Search and rescue operations are underway after a devastating flood along the Bhotekoshi River near the Tibetan border.
The short version
- A catastrophic flash flood carrying water, ice, and mud struck northern Nepal and parts of Tibet on August 26, causing widespread destruction.
- Nearly 500 bodies have been recovered, and well over 1,000 people remain missing, with the death toll expected to rise.
- Families are searching hospitals, emergency camps, and mortuaries in Kathmandu and affected areas for news of their missing relatives.
Key facts
- The flash flood struck on Wednesday, August 26, along the Bhotekoshi River, causing severe damage in northern regions near the Tibetan border, including Timure, Rasuwagadhi, and Syabrubesi, as well as Trishuli and Nuwakot downstream.[Al Jazeera]
- Nearly 500 bodies have been recovered following the disaster.[Al Jazeera]
- The number of missing persons is currently estimated to be well over 1,000.[Al Jazeera]
- The floodwaters washed away buildings, electric poles, bridges, vehicles, and local markets, leaving areas like Trishuli covered in mud and debris.[Al Jazeera]
- Helicopters have been deployed to rescue survivors trapped under rubble or stranded by the water, with severely injured victims airlifted to hospitals in Kathmandu.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- The final death toll and the exact number of missing people remain unknown as recovery operations continue in the heavily affected mud-slicked areas.[Al Jazeera]