Nepal flood death toll rises to 675, nearly 3,000 missing

Nepalese authorities have confirmed that the death toll from the devastating flood in the Bhote Koshi basin has risen to 675, with the total number of fatalities across Nepal and Tibet now at 682. Nearly 3,000 people remain missing on both sides of the border following the catastrophic event on Wednesday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) reported that most of the bodies recovered in Nepal were found in Chitwan and Nawalparasi East, areas heavily impacted by the torrent of water and debris. China has reported seven deaths in the Tibetan county of Gyirong.

Authorities are grappling with the overwhelming number of recovered bodies, leading to saturation of morgues and the rapid deterioration of remains. In response, local authorities, such as in the Nawalparasi East district, have begun mass DNA sampling from unidentified or unrecognizable bodies before proceeding with burials in community forest areas.

Thousands of emergency personnel are continuing their efforts amidst a landscape of hardened mud, which is suspected to have buried dozens more people. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) reported that 184 foreign tourists have been rescued alive, while 420 remain missing, including two Spanish citizens rescued on Saturday. The Nepalese government has requested international assistance for forensic and body preservation services, as well as technical teams to search for hundreds of workers believed to be trapped in flooded hydroelectric plant tunnels.