Nepal Flash Flood Highlights: 939 dead, nearly 4,000 missing as rescue efforts continue

As many as 158 Indians have been rescued, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday.

A man gives support to an elderly near an area covered in mud and debris in the aftermath of flash floods, at Trishuli market, in Nuwakot district, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (PTI Photo) A man gives support to an elderly near an area covered in mud and debris in the aftermath of flash floods, at Trishuli market, in Nuwakot district, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. (PTI Photo)

At least 939 people have died and 3,925 remain missing in Nepal following the catastrophic floods that hit the Nepal-China border region on August 26, according to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, CNN reported. The Nepal Tourism Board said 583 foreign nationals are among those missing, while 315 foreign nationals have been rescued and five others remain in contact with authorities.

As many as 158 Indians have been rescued, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday. An Indian forensic team continued working in Kathmandu with Nepal Police’s Forensic Science Laboratory, discussing ways to optimise forensic protocols and documentation, according to a post shared by MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

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In China, at least 16 people have died and 546 remain missing, according to state broadcaster CCTV. At least 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries are among those missing, including 104 Nepalis, 49 Indians, 33 Latvians, 18 Americans and 15 Britons.

Rescue operations have been hampered by difficult terrain and extensive debris, with several flood-hit areas cut off from aid and emergency teams struggling to reach those stranded. Meanwhile, China has warned of continued rainfall in the disaster-hit region, raising concerns that rising water levels in a barrier lake could trigger further flooding.

At least 933 workers are believed to be trapped at around half a dozen hydropower projects in Nepal following last week’s devastating floods, the country’s disaster management authority said on Monday.

Here are five key points on the developing situation:

  • Trishuli-3A rescue effort: Nepal is intensifying efforts to reach hundreds trapped inside tunnels at hydropower sites, including Trishuli-3A, following Wednesday’s flash floods.
  • No contact yet with those trapped: Rescue teams, including experts from China and India, have attempted to make contact with people inside the tunnel but have so far gotten no response.
  • Hydropower workers among the missing: Officials say hundreds of the roughly 2,500 people still unaccounted for are believed to be employees of Nepal’s hydropower projects.
  • Nepal’s death toll climbs: At least 939 people have died and 3,925 remain missing
  • Cross-border impact in Tibet:  Chinese state media reports 16 confirmed deaths and 546 people missing in Tibet, with rescuers struggling to find survivors.

Live Updates
Aug 31, 2026 10:38 PM IST
Weather forecasting system in Nepal's Rasuwa swept away

Nepal’s weather forecasting system in the badly affected Rasuwa district was swept away in last week’s floods, prompting authorities to install new equipment to monitor weather and ground conditions.

Binod Parajuli, head of flood forecasting at Nepal’s Center for Hydrology and Water Resources Research, said CCTV cameras and seismometers have been installed in Timure near the China-Nepal border. Authorities are expected to receive real-time visuals from the area from Tuesday.

Officials said access to real-time weather information has become an urgent priority amid the risk of further floods and landslides. The US Embassy in Nepal has also warned of possible additional flooding and landslides, while Chinese authorities have reported a potential risk of further glacier-related disasters.

- With CNN Inputs

Aug 31, 2026 10:36 PM IST
UK, Canada, US send millions in emergency relief aid

Several countries have announced millions of dollars in emergency assistance for Nepal following the devastating floods and landslides along the Nepal-China border.

The UK has pledged £5 million, while Canada announced $5 million for food, shelter, water, sanitation and health services. The US said it would provide more than $3.6 million in humanitarian assistance.

India has also sent relief supplies, medical personnel, forensic experts and a specialised tunnel rescue team to Nepal. Its fourth aid flight reached Kathmandu on Sunday.

Nepal has also received assistance from China, the UAE, Qatar, Japan, Switzerland and Australia, while rescue teams from China and South Korea are supporting operations.

- BBC Inputs

Aug 31, 2026 10:01 PM IST
Indian tunnel rescue team reaches 185m depth at Chilime, Langtang

India’s technical team continued tunnel rescue operations at the Chilime and Langtang hydropower sites in Nepal on Monday in coordination with the Nepali Army, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said.

Despite bad weather and difficult access at Chilime, the team established a foothold at the tunnel and set up safety ropes inside. At Langtang, the team and Nepali forces were able to probe 185 metres into the tunnel.

Rescue operations will continue on Tuesday, Srivastava added.

Aug 31, 2026 09:43 PM IST
Nepal army deploys 8,900 personnel, rescues 109 people

The Nepali Army has deployed 8,900 personnel across flood-hit areas as search and rescue operations continue following Wednesday’s devastating flash floods.

The army said it rescued 109 people, including one German national, by air on Monday. Personnel deployed from Timure in Rasuwa to Nawalparasi East are conducting search operations, clearing blocked roads and providing emergency medical assistance.

The army said 165 people received medical treatment at emergency centres in Trishuli and Dhunche on Monday.

- With Inputs from CNN

Aug 31, 2026 09:11 PM IST
158 Indians rescued, Indian teams continue relief work

As many as 158 Indians have been rescued from flood-hit Nepal, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday.

An Indian forensic team continued working in Kathmandu with Nepal Police’s Forensic Science Laboratory, discussing ways to optimise forensic protocols and documentation, according to a post shared by MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Meanwhile, India’s tunnel rescue team continued operations with the Nepali Army at the Chilime and Langtang hydropower sites. Despite bad weather and difficult access at Chilime, the team managed to establish a foothold at the tunnel. Rescue operations will continue on Tuesday, the MEA said.

Aug 31, 2026 09:10 PM IST
Nepali Army rescues 109 people by air amid flood recovery efforts

The Nepali Army rescued 109 people by air on Monday as rescue and recovery efforts continued in areas devastated by last week’s floods and landslides.

One of those rescued was a German national, the army said. More than 8,900 army personnel were deployed across Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan and Nawalparasi East to help clear blocked roads, recover bodies and provide medical assistance.

The army also said its teams, including technical experts and foreign personnel, were searching hydropower plant tunnels for workers who may still be trapped. Patrols were conducted across forests, hills and streams, while medical services were provided to 165 people in Trishuli and Dhunche.

The rescue operations come as more than 4,700 people remain missing in Nepal and China following the catastrophic flooding and landslides, according to figures compiled from local authorities.

- With Inputs from CNN

Aug 31, 2026 08:46 PM IST
China shuts Tatopani border point over landslide risk, hits Nepal trade

China has closed the Tatopani border point for imports and exports until further notice, citing the risk of landslides on the Nepali side of the border.

The closure, which took effect on Saturday, has further disrupted Nepal-China trade as the Rasuwagadhi crossing in Rasuwa remains out of operation after the Bhotekoshi floods swept away the Timure border settlement and key government offices.

Nepal’s consul general in Lhasa, Laxmi Niraula, said the Chinese side shut Tatopani because of the landslide threat in Liping on the Nepali side. The crossing had reopened only recently after remaining closed for nearly three weeks in August due to repeated landslides blocking the Araniko Highway.

With both Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi disrupted, traders now have limited alternatives, with the Korala crossing in Mustang emerging as Nepal’s only functioning overland trade route with China. Goods can also be transported through the longer sea route via Kolkata.

The disruption comes ahead of Nepal’s peak festive shopping season and could lead to shortages and higher costs. The closures are also expected to affect government customs revenue, as both Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi are major trade gateways with China.

- With Inputs from The Kathmandu Post

Aug 31, 2026 08:37 PM IST
Flood survivors face medicine shortages, disease risk in shelters

Survivors of the devastating Bhotekoshi floods in Nepal are facing a new health crisis as roads remain cut off, medical services are disrupted and essential medicines run short, The Katmandu Post reported.

Displaced families, including pregnant women, new mothers, elderly people and those with chronic illnesses, are struggling to access treatment, according to the report. Some patients have lost their medicines and prescriptions in the floods, while health facilities are also reporting shortages.

Crowded temporary shelters are reportedly adding to concerns over disease outbreaks. At one shelter in Rasuwa, around 30 people are staying in a single room with only two toilets, raising the risk of water contamination and diarrhoeal diseases. Cases of fever and diarrhoea have also been reported in some affected areas.

Doctors have warned that infections such as respiratory illnesses and diarrhoea could spread quickly in crowded shelters if sick people are not isolated, as per the report. They have also reportedly stressed the need to continue treatment for chronic conditions and provide psychological support to survivors who have lost relatives and homes.

With roads and bridges destroyed, authorities are considering using drones to deliver medicines to isolated health centres, the report said. Residents in affected areas have also reported shortages of basic supplies such as rice, salt and cooking oil, it added.

- With Inputs from The Kathmandu Post

Aug 31, 2026 08:34 PM IST
6-year-old girl rescued after nearly 60 hours under debris

A six-year-old girl was rescued alive after remaining trapped under debris and mud for nearly 60 hours following devastating floods and landslides in Nepal.

Rescue workers heard Manisha’s cries from beneath the rubble and dug through the debris by hand to reach her. She was given initial medical treatment before being airlifted by helicopter to Kathmandu, where she is undergoing further treatment.

According to the latest reports, Manisha’s parents are also alive and receiving treatment.

Aug 31, 2026 08:25 PM IST
More countries join Nepal flood rescue efforts

Nepal is turning increasingly to foreign governments for specialised expertise and equipment as search, rescue and recovery operations continue after the August 26 Bhotekoshi disaster.

India and China have deployed specialised tunnel-rescue teams, while India has also sent an 18-member forensic team to help identify victims through DNA analysis. Singapore is sending Disaster Victim Identification specialists, while South Korea has deployed a rescue team with drones and other equipment.

Nepal has also requested LiDAR equipment from the United States, Bailey bridges and high-capacity drones. Australia has sent 12 response personnel and increased its humanitarian assistance to $8 million.

So far, 903 bodies have been recovered and around 4,200 people remain unaccounted for, while more than 10,000 people have been rescued, including over 323 foreign nationals. Around 590 foreign nationals from 32 countries remain missing, according to the Nepal Tourism Board.

Nepal has received relief supplies from countries including India, China and the UAE, while further assistance is expected from several countries and international organisations. The government is also preparing for rehabilitation and reconstruction as rescue operations continue.

- With Inputs from The Kathmandu Post

Aug 31, 2026 08:05 PM IST
939 dead, nearly 4,000 missing as rescue efforts continue

Hundreds of people have died after catastrophic flooding hit the Nepal-China border region last Wednesday, while thousands remain missing.

Here are the latest figures from the disaster:

Nepal

  • At least 939 people have died in the floods, according to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
  • Another 3,925 people remain missing, the NDRRMA said.
  • 583 foreign nationals are among those missing, according to the Nepal Tourism Board.
  • 315 foreign nationals have been rescued, including people from India, China, Germany, Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy, the United States, Malta, Switzerland, Russia, Portugal and Oman.
  • Five other foreign nationals are in contact with authorities. They include three Spanish nationals, one Belgian national and one US national.

    • China

  • At least 16 people have died in the floods in China, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
  • Another 546 people remain missing in China.
  • At least 261 foreigners from 23 countries are among those missing, Chinese authorities said.
  • Of those missing, 104 are from Nepal, 49 from India, 33 from Latvia, 18 from the United States and 15 from the United Kingdom.
  • Nationals of Canada, Australia, South Africa, Russia, Malaysia, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Estonia, France, Ireland, Finland, Lithuania, Portugal, Ukraine, Spain, Hungary and Kazakhstan are also among those missing.

    • - With Inputs from CNN

    Aug 31, 2026 08:01 PM IST
    China rejects claims linking Tibet hydropower projects to Nepal floods

    China on Monday rejected claims linking its hydropower projects in Tibet to the August 26 flash floods in Nepal, calling the allegations “malicious speculation”.

    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said experts and official institutions in China and Nepal had assessed the cause of the disaster and concluded that the mudslide was triggered by the collapse of a high-altitude glacier in Nepal.

    “In the face of tragic disasters, we reject malicious speculation that has no factual basis,” Guo said.

    He also dismissed criticism that China was understating the number of deaths and missing people in the disaster, saying Beijing had been “open, transparent and timely” in releasing information.

    China said the death toll on the Tibetan side had risen to 16, with 546 people, including 49 Indians, still missing. In Nepal, 903 people have died and 4,247 remain missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

    (With Inputs from CNN)

    Aug 31, 2026 07:18 PM IST
    Three floods in three years test Nepal’s disaster preparedness

    Three major floods in three years have tested Nepal’s disaster response, raising questions over whether lessons from previous disasters have translated into better preparedness, reported The Kathmandu Post.

    The August 26 Bhotekoshi flood killed more than 900 people and left over 4,200 missing, while destroying roads, bridges and other infrastructure. It came 13 months after a deadly flood in Rasuwa and two years after devastating floods in 2024.

    Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said the country must prepare for such disasters to become more frequent.

    “We should anticipate such disasters are likely to be more frequent occurrences than in the past, and be prepared for them,” he said.

    Experts say Nepal’s rapidly changing Himalayan environment is making preparedness increasingly urgent, with glacier loss and unstable terrain creating risks that remain difficult to monitor.

    The country’s disaster response has also exposed gaps in early-warning systems, cross-border data sharing and rescue infrastructure. NDRRMA chief Dharmaraj Upreti said the agency was reviewing helicopter deployment, helipad locations, body management and other procedures after the latest disaster.

    But the challenge, the report argues, is moving beyond responding faster after a disaster to anticipating and preventing its worst impacts before it strikes.

    - With Inputs from The Kathmandu Post

    Aug 31, 2026 07:02 PM IST
    11 bodies believed from Nepal floods preserved at AIIMS Gorakhpur

    Eleven unidentified bodies believed to have drifted into Uttar Pradesh from Nepal following the recent floods have been preserved at AIIMS Gorakhpur, officials said on Monday.

    The bodies, recovered from Kushinagar after reportedly being carried by the Narayani River, have been kept at the institute's Anatomy Department pending directions from the state government on identification and further procedures.

    AIIMS is preparing detailed records of the bodies, including physical features, the condition of the remains, hair length, clothing and other identifying characteristics. Several bodies were recovered without clothes, officials said, making identification more difficult.

    AIIMS executive director Dr Vibha Dutta said the institute had not yet received instructions on further forensic examination or disposal of the bodies.

    “No directions have been received yet regarding further examination or disposal. We will proceed as per government instructions,” she said.

    The development comes as Nepal's death toll rose to 903, with 4,247 people still missing, including 320 foreigners and 85 security personnel, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

    - With Inputs from PTI

    Aug 31, 2026 06:58 PM IST
    Family ‘loses hope’ for worker trapped at hydropower site

    A family in Wales says it has “lost hope” for a hydropower worker missing after devastating floods in Nepal, as rescue teams struggle to reach buried project sites, the BBC has reported.

    Jit Bahadur Chaudhary was working at the Trishuli-3B hydropower site, one of several projects where workers are believed to be trapped. His family has been unable to get information about his whereabouts since the floods struck.

    Jyoti Upadhyay, who considers Chaudhary family and lives in Ceredigion, said the situation had become increasingly distressing.

    “To be honest since Saturday we have lost hope,” she told BBC Radio Cymru.

    Nepali authorities have been blasting into hillsides to reach trapped workers, with a controlled blast carried out at the Trishuli site early Monday. Upadhyay said the buildings at the site were buried under metres of mud, making searches extremely difficult.

    - With Inputs from BBC

    Aug 31, 2026 06:08 PM IST
    4,247 missing as rescuers search for tunnel workers

    The number of people missing in Nepal has risen to 4,247, while the death toll has reached 903, the country's disaster agency said on Monday, as rescue operations entered their sixth day.

    Authorities are intensifying efforts to locate 933 hydropower workers believed to be trapped in tunnels linked to 13 projects, including by blasting into hillsides to reach the workers.

    Heavy rain and further rainfall forecasts are complicating rescue operations, with amber weather warnings in place in northern Nepal over the next few days. On the Tibetan side, emergency teams are also continuing searches amid concerns over further flooding.

    - With BBC Inputs

    Aug 31, 2026 05:52 PM IST
    China warns glaciers near Nepal flood zone could collapse

    Chinese officials have warned that glaciers near the Nepal flood zone could collapse, raising fears of further flooding in the Himalayan region.

    China's state broadcaster CCTV, citing the Ministry of Water Resources, reported that several areas of standing water near a crater formed by Wednesday's glacial collapse were overflowing. The glaciers around the crater have the “potential to collapse”, it said.

    The ministry also reported multiple landslide barriers overflowing along a nearby river, warning that their collapse could create new landslide-dammed lakes and trigger further flooding.

    Heavy rainfall and newly formed water bodies have already complicated rescue operations in Nepal and China, with specialists warning of several high-risk geological disaster points in the region.

    Aug 31, 2026 05:50 PM IST
    933 hydropower workers missing after Nepal floods; survivors recount escapes

    Battar (Nepal), Aug 31 (PTI) As floodwaters swept away everything below them, Shiva Giri and six others scrambled uphill to escape the Mailung Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, watching homes, settlements and structures disappear.

    Several of Giri's colleagues, including his cousin, were swept away, he told the Nepal News website. Cut off from the usual routes to Timure and Dhunche, the group trekked through a forest for about 12 hours before finding a cave where they spent the night.

    Their ordeal was among several desperate escapes from Nepal's flood-hit hydropower projects, where rescue teams are still trying to trace 933 workers and employees who have remained out of contact since August 26.

    - PTI Inputs

    Aug 31, 2026 05:37 PM IST
    933 hydropower workers missing after Nepal floods, 279 rescued

    As many as 933 hydropower workers and employees remain unaccounted for after devastating floods in Nepal, with more than 600 believed to be stranded inside tunnels, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said on Monday.

    So far, 279 people have been rescued from tunnels, while specialist teams from India and China are assisting Nepal's efforts to locate and rescue those still trapped.

    Survivors from several hydropower projects have recounted desperate escapes as floodwaters swept away homes, roads and project infrastructure. At the Upper Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project in Nuwakot, a 90-member joint rescue team has opened a passage into a buried tunnel and is using heavy equipment and blasting to reach workers believed to be trapped inside.

    Aug 31, 2026 04:20 PM IST
    590 foreign nationals reported missing in Nepal

    Nepal's Foreign Ministry on Monday said that at least 590 foreign nationals from 39 countries are missing in the country following flash floods.

    (Reuters)

    Aug 31, 2026 03:42 PM IST
    144 Maharashtra residents evacuated, 262 still stranded

    According to a Maharashtra government report, 144 people from the state have been safely evacuated to India, while 262 people remain stranded in the flood-hit regions of Nepal and China.

    Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Disaster Management Department said efforts were underway, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), to trace 64 individuals who remain unreachable.

    The authorities told PTI that they were yet to establish direct contact with 60 individuals who had travelled through Richa Tours Pvt Ltd. Information a 144 Maharashtra Residents Evacuated, 262 Still Stranded bout four others had been received through other sources, but direct contact with them could not yet be established.

    Aug 31, 2026 03:13 PM IST
    '13 yet to be traced': Karnataka Chief Minister

    Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said that 13 people from the state were still missing after the flash floods in Nepal.

    "About 13 people are yet to be traced. Our officials are in touch with the MEA and the central government. We have sent our representatives to establish contact. We have not been able to trace one group; the rest have all been traced," Shivakumar told PTI.

    Aug 31, 2026 03:08 PM IST
    Sikkim CM to send 35-member team to Nepal for relief

    Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has announced that a 35-member team from the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha will be sent to Nepal to provide essential relief and medical assistance under the banner of "Sikkim for Nepal".

    Aug 31, 2026 02:27 PM IST
    China rebuilds road to flood-hit Gyirong

    Chinese rescue and construction crews are rebuilding a key stretch of National Highway 216, the main route connecting China’s Gyirong border town with Nepal, after last week’s catastrophic floods. Workers have advanced 533 metres along the difficult mountain terrain, with another 1.15 km remaining to reach Gyirong Port.

    Aug 31, 2026 02:05 PM IST
    China warns of fresh flooding as terrain hampers Nepal rescue

    Difficult terrain and massive amounts of debris have cut off several flood-hit areas in Nepal, making it harder for rescuers to reach survivors and deliver aid. Authorities are continuing searches, particularly at hydropower projects where workers are believed to be trapped inside tunnels.

    Meanwhile, China has warned of continued rainfall in disaster-hit Gyirong, with rising water levels in a barrier lake posing a potential risk. Rescue operations are also being complicated by slippery conditions and difficult access to the affected areas.

    Aug 31, 2026 01:11 PM IST
    275 Indian nationals missing, 128 people of Indian origin also unreachable

    At least 275 Indian nationals remain missing in Nepal, while another 128 people of Indian origin are also unaccounted for, India's Ministry of External Affairs said. So far, 149 people have been rescued, while 403 Indians who had crossed into Nepal from China have been accounted for, and another 500 remain safe in China.

    India has deployed a 19-member specialised forensic team in Kathmandu to analyse DNA samples and help identify victims. An Indian tunnel rescue team is also working with the Nepali Army at hydropower projects in Chilime and Langtang.

    Aug 31, 2026 12:57 PM IST
    Government battles AI-generated misinformation, orders 72 users to remove content

    Nepal is battling a wave of misinformation and AI-generated visuals on social media following the devastating flash floods, with authorities ordering 72 users to remove inappropriate content. The Nepal Press Council has also launched a dedicated portal to allow people to report misinformation and graphic material related to the disaster.

    Fact-checkers have found several viral videos and images falsely attributed to the floods, including footage from India’s Uttarakhand and a glacial lake outburst in Alaska. One AI-generated video showing the floods received more than seven million views, while another depicting a bridge collapse was also found to be fabricated.

    Aug 31, 2026 12:48 PM IST
    Everything we know so far

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

  • Spike in missing people: The number of missing people in Nepal has risen sharply following last week’s catastrophic Nepal-China flooding, with authorities reporting more than 4,200 people unaccounted for, up from about 2,500 a day earlier. The death toll stands at 903, while 4,793 people remain missing on both sides of the border.
  • Tunnel searches: Nepali authorities say the search for workers who could be trapped inside hydropower tunnels is now the “highest priority.” More than 900 workers at various hydropower projects are reported missing, with rescue teams using specialised equipment to reach tunnels blocked by mud and debris.
  • Risks remain: China has identified eight “high-risk geological disaster points” for intensive monitoring around the disaster-hit Gyirong Port. Authorities have also warned that a crater formed by the initial glacial collapse that triggered the floods remains “the biggest risk point” for the barrier lake.
  • Bodies recovered: Authorities in Nepal have recovered hundreds of bodies from flood-hit areas, with 229 unidentified victims buried in Chitwan after decomposition made visual identification difficult. DNA samples were collected before burial so relatives can potentially identify the victims later
  • International rescue efforts: India has sent an 11-member team, including medical personnel and tunnel rescue specialists, to assist Nepal’s operations. Malaysia has also pledged $1 million in aid and said it will send a search-and-rescue team, while other countries and international organisations have mobilised humanitarian assistance.
    • Aug 31, 2026 12:01 PM IST
    Missing worker’s family seeks help as search continues

    In Bidur, the spouse of a worker missing after the Nepal floods said there has been no contact with him. She said he was reportedly swept away in a vehicle while working for a Korean company. The family says it has received “absolutely no information” about his whereabouts.

    Aug 31, 2026 11:53 AM IST
    Nepal floods: 898 workers missing across 11 hydropower projects

    At least 898 workers were reported missing across 11 hydropower projects affected by the devastating floods in Nepal, according to a list compiled by the Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN) as of August 29. The country’s disaster agency has put the overall number of missing hydropower workers slightly higher, at 933.

    The breakdown of missing workers across the affected projects:

  • Upper Trishuli-1: 576
  • Upper Trishuli-3B: 122
  • Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project: 93
  • Upper Trishuli-3A: 42
  • Langtang River: 42
  • Chilime: 8
  • Melung River: 7
  • Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi: 4
  • Middle Trishuli Ganga: 2
  • Tishuli Hydropower Project: 1
  • Devighat Hydropower Project: 1

    • Rescue teams are carrying out urgent searches at several of the projects, with fears that some workers could still be trapped inside tunnels blocked by mud and debris. At the Trishuli-3A project, rescuers have drilled into a tunnel to try to reach those who may be trapped inside

    Aug 31, 2026 10:42 AM IST
    Death toll rises to 903, missing count jumps to 4,247

    The death toll from Nepal’s devastating flash floods has risen to 903, while the number of people reported missing has jumped to 4,247, according to the country’s disaster management authority. Rescue teams continue to search affected districts for survivors and recover bodies as operations enter their sixth day.

    Aug 31, 2026 10:15 AM IST
    Death toll rises to 903 as rescue operations continue

    The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal has risen to 903, according to Nepalese authorities. Rescue operations continue across the worst-hit areas as teams search for survivors and recover bodies amid difficult terrain and ongoing flood risks.

    Aug 31, 2026 10:09 AM IST
    Nepal floods: Barrier lake near Gyirong ‘basically cleared’ as China warns of more rain

    The barrier lake that formed near Gyirong on Saturday has “naturally drained and is basically cleared,” Chinese state media reported, easing fears of another major flood. However, authorities warned that the area is expected to see continuous rainfall through Tuesday, according to the BBC.

    Search-and-rescue operations are continuing at the devastated Gyirong border crossing, where 117 firefighters and 13 rescue dogs have been deployed. A layer of silt more than a metre thick has covered parts of the worst-hit areas, making the search for survivors particularly difficult.

    Aug 31, 2026 09:43 AM IST
    Volunteers clear debris, search for bodies in devastated Devighat

    Scores of volunteers from Nepal’s Likhu Rural Municipality have joined rescue, relief and cleanup operations in flood-hit Devighat, carrying heavy machinery and tipper trucks to clear debris and help recover bodies. Volunteers said entire settlements had been swept away, leaving behind a wasteland of mud and rubble. “There is nothing left there. It's all debris,” resident Sitaram Pulaimer told ANI.

    Volunteers said around 250-300 people were heading to the affected areas with vehicles to clear roads, provide food, water and temporary shelter, and help recover those still missing. Another volunteer, Navraj Thapa, described the destruction as “immense”, saying areas including Devighat, Trishuli, Betrawati, Jhole and Timure had suffered massive damage. “No humans, no settlements, no food, no place to stay. The situation is terrible,” he said.

    Nepal Police said the death toll from the floods has reached 788, while the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 2,502 people remain missing. Of those missing, 933 are workers from hydropower projects and 592 are foreign nationals.

    Authorities said nearly 20,000 security personnel have been deployed, with ground teams carrying out 8,730 rescues. Helicopters have completed 363 flights, airlifting 3,081 people, while 279 people have been rescued directly from a flooded hydropower tunnel.

    Aug 31, 2026 08:57 AM IST
    933 hydropower workers feared trapped as rescue efforts intensify

    At least 933 workers are believed to be trapped at around half a dozen hydropower projects in Nepal following last week’s devastating floods, the country’s disaster management authority said on Monday, August 31.

    Rescue teams are focusing on several hydropower sites, including the Upper Trishuli complex, where workers are feared trapped inside debris-filled tunnels. Heavy machinery has been airlifted to the affected areas as teams work to clear access routes. Reuters reported that rescuers reached the entrance of one tunnel on Sunday and began removing debris.

    The rescue operation has been complicated by continuing rain, rising water levels and unstable terrain. India and China have also deployed specialised tunnel-rescue teams to assist Nepali authorities.

    Aug 31, 2026 08:30 AM IST
    Tunnel rescue efforts made ‘highest priority’ as communication restored at Gyirong

    Rescuing workers potentially trapped inside hydropower tunnels has become a 'highest priority' for Nepalese authorities as teams continue operations despite difficult weather and hazardous conditions, according to the BBC.

    Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said rescue teams are working at the Trishuli 3A and 3B hydropower plants, where efforts are underway to reach tunnels and search for possible survivors. Authorities are also arranging additional personnel, equipment and technical assistance.

    Meanwhile, communication signals have been restored at the devastated Gyirong border post on the China-Nepal border, with Chinese state media Xinhua reporting that one existing base station has been restored and eight new stations added. The improvements are allowing rescue teams at the remote site to communicate again.

    Aug 31, 2026 07:41 AM IST
    Nepal warns of fresh flooding as death toll rises to 788

    Nepal authorities have warned residents in flood-hit districts to remain on high alert after water levels rose in the Bhotekoshi River. The warning came after Chinese authorities reported increased upstream water flow, while a crater holding an estimated 1.4 million cubic metres of water remains under close monitoring.

    Nepal’s disaster agency said the death toll has climbed to 788, with 2,502 people missing. China has reported 16 deaths and 546 missing on its side of the border. The disaster began after a glacial collapse triggered torrents of water, rocks and debris that swept through communities in Nepal and Tibet.

    In Dhading, residents have begun returning to heavily damaged homes to salvage whatever they can, while damaged power lines and destroyed bridges continue to hamper recovery. Authorities are also issuing repeated flood warnings, leaving many residents exhausted and fearful of another surge.

    Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has called for a global response to climate change, saying, “Despite having only 0.1% contribution to the global emissions, people of Nepal have become major victims of climate change.” Meanwhile, Malaysia has pledged $1 million in aid and said it will send a search-and-rescue team to Nepal.

    Aug 31, 2026 07:05 AM IST
    403 Indian nationals cross into Nepal from China; forensics team from India begins work on DNA samples

    AS MANY as 403 Indian nationals safely crossed into Nepal from China on Sunday and 500 Indians are still in China and safe, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday.

    However, the ministry did not give any update on the missing Indians. On Saturday, as search and rescue operations continued in Nepal for the fourth day, the ministry had said 275 Indian nationals and another 128 people of Indian origin – mostly Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims — remained missing.

    On Sunday, the MEA on its X handle shared a list of 149 people who were rescued. It also said that a “19-member specialized forensics team from India began functioning in Kathmandu today”. Read more

    Aug 31, 2026 06:32 AM IST
    How one teacher saved 900 students from Nepal floods

    A Nepali school headteacher’s decision to evacuate 900 students after receiving multiple warnings about rising floodwaters may have prevented a major tragedy, as catastrophic flash floods continued to devastate parts of Nepal and Tibet.

    Rajendra Dawadi, headteacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nepal’s Nuwakot district, ordered the evacuation after receiving at least four warnings within several minutes, the London-based media organisation BBC reported. Read more

    Aug 31, 2026 05:41 AM IST
    India's tunnel rescue team joins Nepali Army in flood operations

    A specialised tunnel search and rescue team from India joined forces with the Nepali Army on Sunday to conduct intensive rescue operations across disaster-affected hydropower tunnel sites in Nepal's Chilime and Langtang regions.

    The deployment comes as security forces intensify efforts to reach workers trapped inside flood-hit underground powerhouses and tunnels.

    The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the specialised team has been integrated into local operations, working side-by-side with security personnel on the ground.

    Aug 31, 2026 05:40 AM IST
    ‘I can’t stop looking… not so soon’: In Nepal, thousands launch search missions of their own for missing kin

    Over the last four days, Lekhnath Adhikari, 43, has travelled hundreds of kilometres on his uncle’s bike. He has been going to almost every search and relief camp, hospital and locality near his native village Betrawati, and areas downstream.

    Betrawati is located in Nuwakot district, north of Kathmandu. It is on the border of Rasuwa district – which was the epicenter of the flash floods.

    While it usually takes two hours to reach the village, after the floods, it takes roughly four hours. On Wednesday, when the flash floods on Bhotekoshi river hit his village, his wife, son and daughter were able to run to higher ground to escape the raging waters, but his elderly parents were not. Read more

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