Kathmandu: The death toll from last month's catastrophic flash floods and mudslides at the Nepal-China border surged to 1,442 after rescue teams recovered 14 more bodies on Tuesday in Nepal. The tragedy has also left a staggering 5,698 people unaccounted for as search and rescue operations continue.

According to Anadolu Agency, Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that 1,399 bodies have been discovered in the flood-affected regions, with 5,179 individuals still missing. In response to the calamity, 13,742 people have been successfully rescued, and 21,022 security personnel have been deployed for ongoing search, rescue, and relief efforts.

Among the missing in Nepal are 587 foreign tourists. Officials have noted that the number of missing persons is subject to change, as it may include unidentified bodies and individuals who have already been rescued. On the Chinese side, the death toll stands at 43, with 519 individuals missing, including 261 foreigners in Tibet, known as the Xizang autonomous region.

The disaster originated on August 26 when a glacier on Nepal's Mount Langtang Lirung fractured at an elevation of 5,200 meters (17,060 feet). This fracture set off an ice-rock avalanche that transformed into a massive debris flow, sweeping through valleys along the border. The floodwaters and mudslides caused extensive damage to Nepal's Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Kavre districts, as well as the Kathmandu Valley, and buried the Gyirong border crossing in Xizang.