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Kathmandu: Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said that the death toll has risen to 724 and 2,500 people are missing.

Bodies have been recovered from all eight affected districts as rescuers race against time to search for those missing and rescue those stranded on the fifth day since the disaster.

An ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a torrent of water, mud and debris downstream, wiping out towns and villages, damaging crucial infrastructure and washing away hydropower stations through central Nepal on Wednesday, August 26.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the death toll of the tragedy has surged to 724.

So far, 259 dead bodies have been recovered from Chitwan, 184 from Nawalparasi East, 82 from Nawalparasi West and 58 from Gorkha districts, the NDRRMA said.

Similarly, 52 bodies have been recovered from Nuwakot, 50 from Dhading, 36 from Tanahu and 13 from Rasuwa.

It said that 2,498 people are also missing, including 85 security personnel and 320 foreigners.

Rescuers have so far evacuated 8,186 people from the affected districts, including 227 foreigners, it said.

According to Nepal’s Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, 753 tourists had lost contact as of 17:30 local time on Saturday, August 29, including 589 foreign nationals.

Kathmandu District Administrative Office issued an urgent notice on Saturday, calling on various associations, institutions, enterprises and individuals in Kathmandu to donate relief supplies to assist the victims in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts, Xinhua news agency reported.

The floods, triggered by a sudden surge in the Bhote Koshi River, caused widespread loss of life and extensive damage to hydropower projects, roads, bridges and other infrastructure in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday said India dispatched a 4th flight with an additional 11 tonnes of assistance to Nepal in a C-130 aircraft, as the Himalayan Nation was hit by devastating floods.

“The 4th flight from India with 11 tonnes of assistance is now airborne. The C-130 aircraft is carrying: A Tunnel technical contingent along with equipment for search & rescue operations. A team of forensic experts for DNA analysis along with Forensic equipment. Relief supplies, including blankets, sleeping bags, tarpaulin, plastic sheets and hygiene kits,” EAM Jaishankar stated on X.

He noted that 16 trucks carrying equipment for a 230-foot Single Lane Modular Steel Bridge have reached Nepal, and Equipment for installation of seven more Bailey bridges will be supplied soon.

According to him, technical teams for their installation are expected to reach shortly. So far, a total of 68.5 tonnes of relief material comprising essential medicines, portable generator sets, food packets, water purification tablets and technical equipment have been airlifted to Kathmandu.

“Our support to the relief and rescue efforts of Nepal continues,” he added.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Wednesday, an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J Hercules airlifted 10 tonnes of emergency relief material such as temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, and medicines.

Flash floods in Nepal: 275 Indians missing

Over 275 Indians remained missing while 108 others were rescued following the devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border four days back, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday.

It said 128 persons of Indian origin have also been uncontactable.

The MEA said that 598 Indian nationals have safely crossed over Nepal from China in the last two days, while around 900 Indians are still on the Chinese side but are “safe and contactable”.

Late in the night, New Delhi sent a fourth tranche of 11 tonnes of relief materials to Nepal on board a C-130J military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the aircraft also carried a technical contingent along with equipment for search and rescue operations as well as a team of forensic experts for DNA analysis along with forensic equipment.

The forensic team will help Nepalese authorities in identifying mortal remains of those killed in Wednesday’s flash floods.

Additionally, 16-trucks carrying equipment for a 230-foot ‘Single Lane Modular Steel Bridge’ have reached Nepal, Jaishankar said on social media.

“Equipment for installation of seven more Bailey bridges will be supplied soon. Technical teams for their installation are expected to reach shortly,” he added.

India has so far sent a total of 68.5 tonnes of relief materials to Nepal.

In a statement, the MEA shared details of missing Indians as well as those rescued.

“Till date, 108 Indian nationals have been rescued in Nepal, and contact was re-established with around 50 Indian nationals who were earlier uncontactable,” the MEA said in a statement.

“Furthermore, 598 Indian nationals have safely crossed into Nepal from China in the last two days, as per local government sources in China,” it said.

“Around 900 Indian nationals are still on the Chinese side but are safe and contactable. Unfortunately, more than 275 Indian nationals and 128 persons of Indian origin remain missing or non-contactable,” it added.

Four Indian nationals — Ripu Kumar, Chaneshwar Narzary, Kripa Shankar and Mohammed Minhajuddin — were rescued from a hydropower project in Rasuwa, it said, adding they are expected to reach Kathmandu soon.

Rasuwa was among the areas severely impacted by the floods.

“As many Indian nationals were among those impacted by the flash floods on both the Nepal side and the China side, the government of India has been working in close coordination with the Nepali and Chinese authorities for the early rescue and relief efforts of those affected by the floods,” the MEA said.

It said a round-the-clock Control Room has been established in the Ministry of External Affairs and separate helplines have been made operational in Indian embassies in Kathmandu, Nepal and Beijing, China.

“Our embassies in Kathmandu and Beijing have also remained engaged with all the relevant stakeholders to ensure effective coordination of search, rescue and relief efforts, in connection with Indian nationals impacted by the flash flood,” the MEA said.

“Our Missions have also ensured sustained efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of rescued Indian nationals apart from facilitating their return to India, wherever required, and are monitoring and facilitating the transit of Indian nationals returning from the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra through Nepal,” it added.

On India’s assistance to Nepal, the MEA said, a specialised technical team for tunnel reconnaissance and rescue was sent to the neighbouring country.

“The team started working today to assist in tunnel rescue in the impacted area. Based on their recommendation, a specialised tunnel rescue team from India with equipment is expected to reach Nepal today,” it said.

49 Indians among 261 foreigners missing after flash flood on Tibet-Nepal border: China

Chinese officials on Sunday, August 30, said 261 foreign nationals, including 49 Indians, remained unaccounted for after a catastrophic flash flood struck Gyirong Port, one of the main border crossings between Nepal and Tibet, on August 26.

The 261 foreigners are from 23 countries, Chinese officials told a media briefing at Gyirong, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The media briefing was held after a joint search and cross-checking of information by foreign affairs, public security, culture and tourism, and emergency management authorities.

Those unaccounted for include 104 people from Nepal, 49 from India, 33 from Latvia, 18 from the United States, 15 from Britain, six from Canada, six from Australia, four from South Africa, three each from Malaysia, Germany and Russia, two each from Ireland, Estonia, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, and one each from Kazakhstan, Finland, Lithuania, Portugal, Ukraine, Spain and Hungary, it reported.

A large number of Indian pilgrims were visiting Tibet to take part in the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after ties between China and India improved.

Some of the Indian pilgrims were reportedly at the immigration building at the Tibet-Nepal border when the flood struck the region, wreaking havoc in Gyirong County in Tibet.

Videos of the giant flash flood engulfing the sprawling immigration building went viral globally.

(With inputs from IANS and PTI)