Nepal and China raise flood death toll above 1,000 as thousands remain missing

The death toll from a massive flood in the Nepal-China border region has risen above 1,000, while thousands of people remain unaccounted for as rescue teams continue searching across more than 150 kilometers of devastated terrain.

Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported 987 recovered bodies and 3,916 people still missing in the country. China’s government reported 16 deaths and 546 missing people in the border region of Tibet, bringing the combined figures to 1,003 deaths and 4,462 people unaccounted for.

Nepal reduced its missing-person count after restoring electricity and telecommunications in some of the most isolated districts. All 110 Nepal Telecom towers damaged by the flooding are now operating, according to the authority. The largest adjustment involved workers at hydropower projects, whose missing-person total fell from 933 to 639 without further details about their whereabouts. Many are believed to be trapped in underground tunnels.

At least 583 foreign nationals remain missing. Authorities said on Sunday that they had contacted three Spanish citizens. More than 21,000 security personnel are taking part in the seventh day of search and rescue operations, including 8,896 army personnel, 7,912 police officers and 4,203 members of the Armed Police Force.

Nepal’s army has completed 573 helicopter flights since the emergency began, evacuating 11,814 people. The search continues as authorities work to account for those still missing on both sides of the mountain border.