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Symbolic funerals held in Nepal following floods as some missing tourists reach safety

Over 1,200 deaths are confirmed across Nepal after suspected glacial collapse floods, while hundreds of foreign tourists remain unaccounted for.

Updated Sep 3, 2026 · 06:18 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • Families in Nepal have begun conducting symbolic cremation rites with straw effigies for missing relatives presumed dead after catastrophic floods.
  • Nepal's disaster agency reports at least 1,204 people dead and over 4,200 missing, alongside 590 unaccounted-for foreign nationals from 39 countries.
  • A small number of missing foreign tourists, including several Australians, made contact with officials to confirm they are safe.
  • International search and rescue operations continue, including Australian drone teams and Chinese rescue crews clearing access to damaged border regions.

Key facts

  • Nepal's disaster management agency reported that at least 1,204 people were killed and more than 4,200 remain missing after the August 26 floods.[ABC News]
  • Nepal's Foreign Ministry stated that 324 foreign nationals have been rescued while 590 tourists from 39 countries remain unaccounted for.[ABC News]
  • Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the count of missing Australians fell from 43 to 38 after five individuals were found safe, with Australia deploying drone operators to aid the search.[ABC News]
  • Chinese state media reported at least 21 deaths and 541 missing near Gyirong Port on the border with Nepal, where rescue workers constructed a temporary access road for heavy machinery.[ABC News]
  • Nepali authorities have begun placing unidentified bodies into temporary graves while gathering facial photographs and DNA samples for future identification.[ABC News]

What remains uncertain

  • The precise origin of the flood is not definitively verified, though authorities suspect a Himalayan glacial collapse caused meltwater, rock, and ice to rush downstream.[ABC News]
  • The total casualty and missing figures remain fluid as rescue operations progress and communication is re-established in remote areas.[ABC News]

Sources