Kathmandu: The death toll from flash floods and mudslides in the Himalayas rose above 1,019 on Tuesday, a week after the disaster struck the border region between Nepal and China, according to official data.
According to Anadolu Agency, Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that search and rescue teams confirmed 84 more fatalities. This brings the death toll on the Nepal side of the border to 1,003, with 3,916 people, including 583 foreigners, still missing. Among those unaccounted for are 639 personnel deployed at hydropower stations.
Chinese authorities have confirmed 16 deaths and are continuing their search for 546 missing individuals, which includes 261 foreigners. Combined data from both countries indicates that 4,462 people, including 844 foreigners, remain missing.
The disaster originated on August 26 when a glacier on Nepal's Mount Langtang Lirung fractured at an altitude of about 5,200 meters. This triggered an ice-rock avalanche that evolved into a massive debris flow, affecting valleys along the Nepal-China border.
In Nepal, the surge of water and mudslides caused destruction in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Kavre, and the Kathmandu Valley. On the Chinese side, the Gyirong border crossing with Nepal in southwestern Tibet, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region, was buried.
Most of the missing foreigners are from India, with 275 Indian nationals and 100 Chinese nationals reported missing, based on data shared by the two countries. As the recovery of bodies continues, Nepal has requested resources such as freezers, DNA testing kits, remote-sensing technology, and drones to map affected areas.
Countries like China, South Korea, and India have dispatched teams to aid in search and rescue operations. However, the challenging terrain, along with damaged roads and infrastructure, presents significant obstacles for communication and rescue efforts.
Interviews conducted by Chinese state media with search and rescue teams revealed that after a 10-hour trek to the Gyirong border crossing, no signs of buildings or infrastructure were found on the Chinese side of the border.