Nepal landslide toll rises to 675, nearly 3,000 missing

The official death toll from a devastating landslide in Nepal has climbed to 675, according to disaster management authorities. In neighboring China, seven deaths have been reported in the Tibet region, bringing the total across both countries to 682. The scale of the disaster is further underscored by the nearly 3,000 people still missing, with at least 2,426 unaccounted for in Nepal.

The powerful flood, triggered by the collapse of a glacier upstream, swept away a highway in northern Nepal. Rishi Shrestha, like many others, is grappling with the grim reality of the situation. He revisits the list of survivors, but his cousin's name is not among them. "It's been more than three days," he said with a sigh. "There's a 99% chance he's no longer alive."

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There's a 99% chance he's no longer alive.

His cousin, Rajan Shrestha, was traveling to China when the avalanche of water and debris struck. "I spoke to him that morning, when he stopped for tea just before crossing the border," Rishi recounted. "The army tells us they are rescuing people they can locate, those who managed to take refuge in higher areas. It seems he was buried..."

Nepalese authorities have recovered over 600 bodies from the mud and debris covering the valley. However, hundreds of foreign tourists, who frequent this Himalayan region for trekking and pilgrimage, are among the nearly 2,500 people still missing on the Nepalese side. Families gathered at a military base in Bidur, where rescue teams operate, seeking any news of their loved ones. A multi-page list of identified and evacuated individuals has been posted by authorities.

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I spoke to him that morning, when he stopped for tea just before crossing the border. The army tells us they are rescuing people they can locate, those who managed to take refuge in higher areas. It seems he was buried...