Nepal death toll rises to 1,355, with nearly 5,000 still missing after floods

Nepal’s death toll from the devastating flood near the border with Tibet has reached 1,355, while 4,996 people remain missing nearly two weeks after entire settlements were swept away. Thousands of rescuers are still searching for survivors.

The death toll rose by 14 from the previous day, according to the latest report from Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. At least 589 foreigners are among those missing, including two Spanish citizens. Identifying the victims remains the biggest challenge. So far, the government has been able to return only 98 bodies to their families.

Nepal has deployed 21,402 personnel from the army, police and armed forces in an unprecedented operation. The response has so far helped rescue and evacuate 13,396 people.

Despite the time that has passed since the disaster, hope has returned to the so-called “ground zero” after four people were found alive in recent days. On Saturday, rescuers pulled Chandrika Shrestha, a 64-year-old woman, from beneath a thick layer of mud at her home in the Betrawati market in Nuwakot. She had survived for 11 days.