Nepal Flash Flood Highlights: Nepal stares at $5 billion bill to rebuild after floods, deaths cross 1,000

Nepal's prime minister said Monday that more than 11,000 people have been rescued since last week's catastrophic flash floods on the Nepal-China border.

nepal flash flood live updatesThe Trishuli Hydro Power station lies in a destructed state and invisible in the photo ( photo shows the spot of the water way and the headgate) after the flash floods. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Nepal Floods Highlights: Nepal’s finance minister, Swarnim Wagle, has said that the country would require about $ 5 billion to rebuild the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts near the Tibet border after flash floods hit the country last week.

The death toll from the Nepal-China border floods has crossed 1,000, with Nepal reporting 987 deaths and China 16. Nepal’s disaster agency said 11,814 people have been rescued, while thousands remain unaccounted for as teams continue searching affected areas and hydropower tunnels. Meanwhile, Nepal has issued a fresh flood alert as water levels rise in several districts, raising concerns about further risks in the disaster-hit region.

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More than 22,000 security personnel and at least 16 helicopters have been deployed for rescue operations, with 254 workers and technicians rescued from the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project. Authorities said hundreds of unidentified bodies have been buried under standard procedures, while temporary shelters have been arranged for nearly 3,000 displaced people

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah said Monday that rescue operations are being scaled up, revealing that more than 11,000 people have been pulled to safety so far, though nearly 4,000 remain unaccounted for. Shah said supplying aid to affected communities remains a top government priority, noting that relief has already reached close to 3,700 people with international partners assisting the effort.

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Here are five key points on the developing situation:

  • Rising toll: The confirmed death count has reached 955, with roughly 4,471 people still unaccounted for between Nepal and China.
  • Trapped workers: Rescue crews are searching for hundreds of workers believed trapped in hydropower tunnels after mud flooded the sites, with over 900 workers still missing across various projects.
  • Humanitarian needs: The UN estimates around 65,000 people urgently need water, sanitation and hygiene support, as families of the missing struggle to get information about loved ones.
  • Weather threats persist: Forecasters in China have warned of renewed rain in Gyirong that could raise water levels in a nearby barrier lake, while officials also flagged the risk of nearby glaciers collapsing.
  • Rescue and recovery progress: PM Shah said over 11,379 people have been rescued, power has been restored to about 30% of households in hard-hit Rasuwa District, and six 48-meter Bailey bridges plus one 70-meter bridge are being deployed to reconnect areas cut off by destroyed infrastructure.

Live Updates
Sep 2, 2026 06:21 AM IST
Express in Nepal | Over 4,000 still unaccounted for; officials warn of fresh floods

As dusk fell over Kathmandu and rain swept across the valley, a line of ambulances arrived at the western gate of Gokarna Forest Resort, a former retreat and hunting reserve of Nepal’s royal family.

Police personnel and workers soon began carrying the remains of unidentified victims of the Bhotekosi flash floods through the golf course into the nearby forest.

Two JCB excavators had dug large pits in the muddy embankment as officials watched. Nearly 75 bodies were interred and tagged with batch numbers for future identification.

A day earlier, more than 200 victims had been buried at four locations. The death toll rose to 1,050 on Tuesday as security forces recovered more bodies from eight districts, officials said.

Nearly 4,000 people remain missing, including 583 foreigners and 83 security personnel, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said. About 12,000 people have been rescued.

The disaster has pushed hospitals and mortuaries to their limits, while relatives continue searching for loved ones.

Sep 1, 2026 10:11 PM IST
Himalayas face severe glacial flood risks in years ahead, UN official warns
  • The Himalayan region faces severe risks from future glacial floods, a senior U.N. official has warned, as the death toll from last week's flood in Nepal, triggered by a glacier's collapse, surpassed 1,000.
  • Not only is the hydroelectric power that many depend on threatened, but entire riverbanks where millions live might become effectively uninhabitable.
  • "Technology ⁠cannot move ​fast enough to prevent loss along these massive river systems that catch the overflow of the glacier lakes," Kanni Wignaraja, an assistant secretary-general at the U.N., told Reuters in an interview. (Reuters)
    • Sep 1, 2026 06:06 PM IST
    ‘People rushed onto streets, calls failed’: How 4 from UP made it home from Nepal
  • For 23-year-old Ashutosh Mani Upadhyay, his first flight was also his way out of flood-hit Nepal.
  • He had travelled to Nepal just two months ago to work as a junior pipeline fitter at a factory in Rasuwa district. But before he could settle into his new job, he found himself being evacuated by helicopter along with five other Uttar Pradesh residents.
  • Rasuwa was among the worst-hit areas, though Ashutosh said he was away from the area when the floods struck.
  • “There was a sense of fear and uncertainty everywhere in Nepal,” he recounted. “I was told to board a helicopter that would take us to a safer place. I was excited because I had never travelled by air before. The flight lasted only a few minutes but I will remember for the rest of my life,” he added.
  • The six were flown to a cantonment area, where they completed the necessary formalities before hiring a vehicle to travel to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Ashutosh reached his hometown of Mureri Gadwa village on Monday.
  • For families across Uttar Pradesh, the wait for news from relatives stranded in Nepal has begun to ease.
  • The Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner’s emergency helpline received calls about 22 people whose families had lost contact with them. Families of 10 of them have since told authorities that their relatives are home and safe, an official said.

    • Read full story

    Sep 1, 2026 04:57 PM IST
    Nepal seeks climate compensation for deadly flood; says it is 'moral liability', 'not charity'
  • Nepal has launched a diplomatic push to seek climate-related compensation from greenhouse emitters for the devastation caused by the recent deadly flash floods, asserting that post-disaster assistance should be treated as a matter of "moral liability", "not charity".
  • Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said Nepal, despite contributing "virtually negligible" greenhouse gas emissions, are bearing the disproportionate consequences of global warming, including rapid glacier melt and extreme mountain disasters.

    • - PTI

    Sep 1, 2026 04:07 PM IST
    Nepal floods miracle: Missing dog returns, farmer cleans mud-caked corn crop

  • Amid the devastation caused by the Nepal floods, small stories of hope are emerging as communities begin to pick up the pieces of their lives. A missing dog has returned safely to its family after disappearing during the disaster, while a parent managed to gather their child’s belongings that were damaged and mud-soaked.
  • According to authorities, the death toll from the Nepal-China floods has crossed 1,000, while more than 3,500 people remain missing. Several countries have sent rescue teams and relief supplies to support Nepal as it grapples with the scale of the catastrophic disaster.
  • As rescue teams continue searching for the missing and trying to reach people stranded in the worst-hit areas, residents are also returning to what remains of their homes in search of belongings that survived the floods. From clothes and household items to books and personal possessions, recovering even the smallest item has offered a sense of relief to families who have lost so much.

    • Read full story

    Sep 1, 2026 04:00 PM IST
    Nepal embassy in Delhi opens e-Book of Condolence amid flash flood

    The Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi has opened an e-Book of Condolence for those wishing to express their condolences and solidarity following the deadly flash floods in Nepal.

    Sep 1, 2026 03:50 PM IST
    Nepal stares at $5 billion bill to rebuild after floods, deaths cross 1,000

    Nepal's finance minister, Swarnim Wagle, has said that the country would require about $ 5 billion to rebuild the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts near the Tibet border after flash floods hit the country last week.

    Sep 1, 2026 02:32 PM IST
    Everything we know so far

    If you’re just joining us, here are the latest updates on the Nepal-Tibet flash floods:

  • Death toll: The death toll from last week’s devastating flash floods in Nepal and China has crossed 1,000, while more than 3,916 people remain unaccounted for, according to officials.
  • Mass burials: Authorities in Nepal are burying hundreds of unidentified victims in a mass grave as efforts continue to identify bodies and reunite them with their families.
  • Search for missing workers: Rescue teams are searching hydropower tunnels in Nepal where around 900 workers are feared trapped or missing after mud and floodwaters buried parts of the facilities.
  • Widespread devastation: In China’s Gyirong port area, the scale of destruction is stark, with Chinese state media reporting that a single water tower was left standing after the floods.
  • Families await answers: Rescue and recovery teams are continuing the difficult task of locating missing people and identifying victims, as families wait for information about loved ones caught in the disaster.
    • Sep 1, 2026 02:12 PM IST
    Tibetian groups allege information blackout, China rejects censorship claims

    Tibetan rights groups and researchers have accused China of restricting information about the impact of last week’s glacial avalanche and flash floods in Kyirong, Tibet, and called for international media to be given access to verify the scale of the destruction.

    The groups alleged that Chinese authorities had penalised Tibetans for sharing information about the disaster and called for greater transparency on deaths, damage and early warnings. They also urged Beijing to share timely hydrological data with downstream countries, including Nepal, India and Bangladesh.

    China’s foreign ministry, however, has rejected international reports accusing Beijing of censoring images and underreporting deaths following the devastating floods in parts of Nepal and Tibet.

    Chinese state media has reported 16 deaths and more than 558 people missing in Tibet, while Nepal has reported hundreds of deaths and thousands still missing.

    Sep 1, 2026 01:34 PM IST
    China to send DNA experts, relief supplies to Nepal border

    China will send DNA testing experts to disaster-hit areas along the Nepal-China border on Tuesday to help identify victims of the devastating floods. A second batch of relief supplies will also be dispatched, including drones and water-purification equipment, China’s Foreign Ministry said.

    Sep 1, 2026 01:19 PM IST
    Workers flee hydropower sites as rescue teams search tunnels

    Survivors of Nepal’s devastating floods have recounted desperate escapes from hydropower projects as rescue teams continue searching for hundreds of workers believed to be trapped inside tunnels.

    At the Mailung Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, technical worker Shiva Giri and six others fled uphill as floodwaters swept away homes and structures. They trekked through a forest for about 12 hours before taking shelter in a cave and were later evacuated by a Nepali Army helicopter.

    At the Upper Trishuli-1 project, civil engineer Sandip Rana said around 100 workers scrambled up a hillside after an emergency siren warned of the approaching flood. They watched the project office, camps and roads disappear under the water.

    Another survivor, Ramchandra, said he and five colleagues spent about six hours inside a tunnel as water rushed in, clinging to iron ladders along the tunnel roof to avoid being swept away.

    Meanwhile, rescuers at the Upper Trishuli-3A project are using heavy equipment and controlled blasting to reach workers believed trapped inside a buried tunnel. A 90-member joint rescue team has created an opening into the tunnel, but has yet to establish contact with anyone inside.

    Sep 1, 2026 12:24 PM IST
    Indian rescue team makes progress at Nepal hydropower sites

    India’s specialised tunnel rescue team has made progress at two hydropower sites in flood-hit Nepal, establishing a foothold inside a tunnel at Chilime and probing up to 185 metres at Langtang, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said.

    Working alongside the Nepali Army despite bad weather and difficult access, the team at Chilime set up safety ropes inside the tunnel. At Langtang, rescuers managed to advance 185 metres into the tunnel, with operations set to continue.

    India has deployed specialised teams to help locate workers missing from hydropower projects following the August 26 floods. Experts from India and China are assisting Nepali rescue teams, as many workers are feared trapped inside tunnels.

    Srivastava also visited the Nepali Army base in Bidur, which is being used as a staging point for rescue and relief operations in Rasuwa. He also met Nepal's Home and Energy ministers to discuss India's support.

    According to India's Ministry of External Affairs, 158 Indian nationals have been rescued from flood-affected areas in Nepal as of Monday. A specialised Indian forensic team is also working with Nepal Police in Kathmandu to help with victim identification.

    Sep 1, 2026 11:44 AM IST
    Death toll crosses 1,000 and fresh flood alert issued in Nepal

    The death toll from the catastrophic floods in Nepal and China has crossed 1,000, with Nepal reporting 987 deaths and China 16. At least 11,814 people have been rescued so far, while emergency teams continue to reach communities cut off by destroyed roads and bridges.

    Rescuers are also searching for more than 900 workers missing from 12 hydropower projects, with around 500 feared trapped inside tunnels. Helicopters and other aircraft are being used to reach stranded communities and deliver assistance.

    Nepal has meanwhile issued a fresh flood alert after water levels rose across several districts, according to PTI, adding to concerns of further flooding in areas already severely affected by the disaster.

    Sep 1, 2026 11:21 AM IST
    Nepal flood death toll rises to 987

    Nepal’s death toll from last week’s devastating floods has risen to 987, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

    The number of people reported missing has fallen to 3,916, while 11,814 people have been rescued so far, the disaster agency said in its latest update on Tuesday.

    Sep 1, 2026 10:52 AM IST
    Over 11,000 rescued as Nepal intensifies flood recovery operations
  • Over 11,000 rescued: More than 11,000 people have been rescued from flood-hit areas across Nepal so far, as authorities continue large-scale search and rescue operations following the devastating flash floods.
  • 22,000 personnel deployed: More than 22,000 security personnel from the Nepal Army and other forces have been mobilised for rescue and relief work. At least 16 helicopters are also being used to reach affected areas and evacuate people.
  • Hydropower workers rescued: A total of 254 labourers and technicians have been rescued from the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project sites. Search operations are continuing at several other hydropower projects with help from Indian and Chinese tunnel rescue experts.
  • Hundreds of bodies unidentified: Authorities said 927 bodies have been sealed so far, but only 51 have been identified and handed over to families. Another 726 bodies remain unidentified, with 413 already buried or otherwise managed according to international procedures.
  • Thousands displaced: Temporary shelters have been arranged for 2,970 people displaced by the floods. Authorities are also monitoring river levels, with an alert issued for residents along the Bishnumati River after water near Gongabu crossed the danger mark.
    • Sep 1, 2026 09:59 AM IST
    Nepal floods leave survivors fearing loss of culture, traditions and community

    For survivors displaced by the devastating floods along Nepal’s border with Tibet, the loss extends far beyond homes and belongings, with many fearing that their ancestral culture and traditions could disappear along with their villages. In Rasuwa, where communities have preserved distinct Buddhist practices, languages and festivals for generations, sacred sites and monasteries have been destroyed, while families have been separated and heirlooms lost. Many survivors now shelter in Kathmandu, worried about how traditions can be passed on to children who have lost parents and their connection to their ancestral homes.

    Sep 1, 2026 09:20 AM IST
    South Korea to send 44-member relief team to Nepal after floods

    South Korea will deploy a 44-member emergency relief team to Nepal to support search-and-rescue operations in flood-hit Rasuwa, the country’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. The team, comprising ministry officials and firefighters, will travel on a military transport aircraft and remain in Nepal for around 10 days.

    The deployment follows a request from Nepal for international assistance in the disaster-hit region. South Korea had earlier sent a rapid response team to search for nine South Korean workers missing at a hydropower project after last week’s devastating floods.

    Sep 1, 2026 08:26 AM IST
    Mass burial for unidentified flood victims in Nepal

    Authorities in Nepal have begun burying hundreds of unidentified bodies recovered after the devastating floods, as morgues have been overwhelmed and families continue to search for missing relatives. In Chitwan, nearly 300 bodies were reportedly brought to riverbanks by the floodwaters, prompting officials to use temporary burial sites after running out of storage space according to CNN

    Meanwhile, rescue and recovery operations continue across the worst-hit areas, with authorities collecting DNA samples to help identify the victims. Families will be able to reclaim the remains once identification is completed.

    Sep 1, 2026 07:39 AM IST
    Nepal rescuers blast hillside to reach trapped hydropower workers

    Nepal rescuers are using explosives to blast through hillsides and clear mud-filled tunnels as they race to find more than 600 hydropower workers believed to be trapped after last week’s devastating floods. At the Trishuli-3A project, teams have also been pumping air into tunnels in an effort to keep any survivors alive.

    The operation comes as families wait anxiously for news of their missing relatives. Authorities said the disaster’s death toll has reached 939, while the number of missing has been revised to 3,925, including 592 foreign nationals. Prime Minister Balendra Shah said 279 people have been rescued from hydropower sites so far.

    An international rescue effort involving Nepali and Chinese military personnel, along with experts from India, South Korea and Australia, is working across the affected projects. At least 11 hydropower plants were damaged in the floods according to BBC.

    Rescuers managed to enter a tunnel leading to one plant on Monday but had to withdraw after finding no workers. Families have urged authorities to speed up the operation, fearing that the chances of survival are declining with every passing hour.

    The scale of destruction has made the search particularly difficult, with huge boulders, mud and debris covering access routes and obscuring the original locations of some tunnels. An Australian tunnelling expert assisting remotely described the area as resembling a “lunar landscape”.

    Meanwhile, downstream in Chitwan, authorities have resorted to temporarily burying unidentified bodies after nearly 300 bodies were brought down by the rivers. DNA testing is being carried out to help families identify their missing relatives.

    Sep 1, 2026 07:13 AM IST
    Express in Nepal: In their own ‘war room’, workers of a private firm plan search for 150 missing colleagues

    Inside a large room on the ground floor of a midrange hotel in central Kathmandu, the air is tense. A couple of coffee tables have been put next to each other to create a longish conference table, and sofas have been placed around it.

    There are 10 people in the room. They are all staring at a wall on which a map of the region around the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydroelectric Project has been projected. Around 150 of their colleagues are trapped somewhere in that region. Read more

    Sep 1, 2026 06:22 AM IST
    US oil firm to take over some Venezuelan oilfields previously run by Chinese, Russian companies, officials

    US oil company North American Blue Energy Partners will take over some oilfields previously controlled by several Chinese companies and a Russian firm, two US officials told Reuters on Monday.

    The takeover will be part of a sweeping oil production agreement that President Donald Trump announced with Venezuela, they said.

    The projects were among 14 contracts newly granted to US-backed North American Blue Energy Partners, according to the officials. NABEP was previously owned ⁠by ​US oil tycoon Harry Sargeant and is now controlled by Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt.

    Sep 1, 2026 05:55 AM IST
    Nepali prime minister says climate change making Himalayan region more vulnerable

    Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah said last week’s flooding in the country’s north and neighboring China was “one of the largest disasters in this region,” while highlighting the region’s vulnerability to climate change.

    “The flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa was not an ordinary flood. It was one of the largest disasters in this region, triggered by a glacial avalanche involving ice and rock in the Himalayan area,” Shah said in a statement Monday.

    The deadly flooding indicates that “the risks we face in the Himalayan region are increasing alongside climate change,” Shah said, adding that Nepal plans to raise the issue of climate change with the international community.

    Sep 1, 2026 05:15 AM IST
    Inside Nepal tunnel: Thermal drones hunts for survivors, can’t see any

    A thermal drone was sent into a tunnel in Nepal‘s Rasuwa district – part of a hydropower plant devastated by the Bhotekoshi flash flood – on Monday.

    At least 93 people are believed lost somewhere in that tunnel, buried under mud, debris, and boulders that swept through the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river corridor after flash floods triggered upstream. They have been buried since the floods swept through the valley last week, burying entire villages and destroying roads, bridges, and hydroelectric plants. Read more

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