Nepal Search Operations Continue as Flood Disaster Toll Reaches 1,372

On the 12th day of the search, rescuers in Nepal were still working through difficult terrain, poor weather and weak communications. Their efforts had produced four extraordinary rescues after floods caused by the collapse of glaciers and mountains along the China-Nepal border.

Two people were found alive on Saturday, including a Chinese man pulled from deep inside a hydropower tunnel and 64-year-old Chandrika Shrestha, rescued from her mud-covered home. Two Nepali hydropower workers had been rescued the previous day from the Trishuli 3A tunnel. Three of the four survivors were found in hydropower tunnels, where the government had initially believed more than 100 workers might still be alive.

“

Search and rescue is going on at the tunnels despite geography, adverse weather and lack of connectivity.

Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said rescuers continued searching the tunnels despite the geography, adverse weather and lack of connectivity. He said teams faced multiple challenges, while also working to restore electricity in affected areas. In places that could not be reached, he said, authorities had tried to restore power using solar energy.

The floods tore through mountain districts on August 26, destroying roads, bridges and other infrastructure. At least 12 hydropower projects were affected. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal called the disaster a “Himalayan tsunami” and warned that reconstruction could cost billions of dollars. Prime Minister Balendra Shah said the rescue of Chandrika Shrestha had “given hope to the entire nation.”

“

given hope to the entire nation

Nepal’s disaster agency said 1,341 bodies had been recovered in the country and about 4,996 people remained missing. Chinese state media reported 31 deaths and 531 missing people in Tibet, bringing the combined toll to 1,372 dead and more than 5,500 missing. About 800 foreigners are among the missing, including tourists and pilgrims.

With mortuaries overwhelmed, Nepal has buried hundreds of bodies in mass graves after collecting DNA samples for later identification. Only about 100 bodies had been identified and returned to families. Nepal planned a national day of mourning on Monday, the 13th day after the disaster, in keeping with a traditional Hindu mourning period. The United Nations has appealed for $50 million to help more than 84,000 people and warned that the scale of destruction makes aid delivery extremely difficult.

“

Places that have unreachable, we've tried to restore power with solar