Nepal floods: Death toll climbs to 626, over 4,400 rescued

The devastating Bhote Koshi flood disaster in Nepal has claimed the lives of 626 people, with an additional 2,426 individuals still unaccounted for, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

Chitwan district has been the hardest hit, with 233 bodies recovered. Nawalparasi East follows with 158 fatalities, and Nuwakot has reported 51 deaths. The grim statistics extend to missing persons, including personnel from the Nepal Police, Nepal Army, and Armed Police Force, as well as customs and immigration officials. Significant numbers of people are also reported missing from hydropower projects and Makwanpur.

The disaster has also impacted foreign nationals, with 517 reported missing, alongside 127 Nepali citizens residing abroad. The NDRRMA is coordinating extensive search, rescue, and relief efforts. Over 4,451 people have been rescued so far, including those extracted from hydropower tunnels and evacuated by air. Medical teams are attending to 101 injured individuals.

To aid the recovery, 16 helicopters have conducted numerous sorties, and 15,224 security personnel are engaged in the operations. The government has released financial assistance to affected districts, and relief supplies are being dispatched. Efforts are also underway to restore damaged telecommunications infrastructure, with a majority of affected telephone towers now back in operation.