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Rescuers continue grim search for survivors after Nepal floods

From CNA · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Ongoing story
  • Nepalese emergency teams continued searching through flood debris after the disaster's death toll across Nepal and China reached 1,325, with 5,584 people missing.
  • Rescuers drew encouragement from the survival of two hydropower workers who emerged after nine days trapped inside a tunnel.
  • Authorities have recovered and buried bodies in mass graves while the government pledged safer accommodation for thousands displaced by the floods.

Nepal's emergency teams dug through debris with renewed urgency on Saturday after two hydropower workers survived nine days inside a blocked tunnel, a rescue officials described as a “miracle.”

The men were among hundreds of hydropower workers who went missing when a tsunami-like wall of water and mud swept across the China-Nepal border on Aug. 26 after a massive glacial and rock collapse. They were pulled alive from the Trishuli 3A tunnel on Friday, covered in mud, and taken to hospital in stable condition.

We have been working since morning on search and rescue operations.

· Raja Ram BasnetThe Nepal Army spokesman described the ongoing rescue effort.

Search operations continued at the tunnel and at several other locations. At least 12 hydropower projects were destroyed by the floods. Experts from India, China, Australia and South Korea joined Nepali teams looking for survivors inside blocked tunnels.

“We have been working since morning on search and rescue operations,” Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet told AFP. “We don't have an update yet, but the work goes on.” The government initially estimated that more than 100 workers could still be alive inside several tunnels.

We don't have an update yet, but the work goes on.

· Raja Ram BasnetBasnet said searches were continuing at blocked tunnels.

Nepal's disaster agency said 1,294 bodies had been recovered, while 5,053 people remained missing. Chinese state media reported 31 deaths and 531 missing people, bringing the overall toll in the two countries to 1,325 dead and 5,584 missing.

With morgues overflowing, Nepal Police said about 1,030 bodies had been buried in mass graves after officials collected DNA samples for possible identification by relatives. Prime Minister Balendra Shah promised “safe and comfortable accommodation” for thousands of displaced people living in temporary relief camps, saying the government would create conditions in which they could rebuild their future.

Safe and comfortable accommodation

· Balendra ShahThe prime minister's promise to people displaced by the disaster.
About this summary

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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