Nepal death toll rises to 1,344 as search and rescue operations continue

Nepal’s devastating floods have killed 1,344 people and left 4,886 missing, according to the latest government figures, as search and rescue teams continue working in the affected areas.

At least 606 foreigners are among those whose whereabouts remain unknown, including two Spanish citizens, officials told EFE. Nearly 8,000 personnel remain deployed, and operations have so far helped 8,962 people.

Rescuers are still searching for survivors after finding two workers alive on Friday inside a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower plant. One of them, Kabir Maharjan, is in critical condition and receiving intensive care at a military hospital in Kathmandu for severe hypothermia and extreme exhaustion in his limbs. The other, Sanjay Sah, is stable. He said he communicated by shouting with several people trapped nearby.

Identifying the dead remains one of Nepal’s greatest logistical challenges. Of the 1,344 bodies recovered, including 85 children, authorities have identified only 74. Forensic teams continue collecting DNA samples, with 2,272 genetic profiles now recorded from victims and their relatives.

Floods that struck Tibet, China, on Aug. 26 have also killed 31 people, while 531 remain missing, according to the latest Chinese authorities’ update.