The death toll from catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border has risen to at least 675 in Nepal, while nearly 2,500 people remain missing as rescue teams continue searching devastated communities.
The disaster, triggered by severe flooding and landslides earlier this week, has destroyed homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure across northern Nepal. At least seven people have also been reported dead in China, although information from Tibet has been slower to emerge.
Nepal’s Disaster Management Authority said 2,498 people were still unaccounted for as of Saturday evening. Rescue operations have been hampered by blocked roads, damaged bridges, landslides and the remoteness of several affected settlements.
More than 9,000 Nepali Army personnel have been deployed for search-and-rescue operations. Authorities said more than 2,500 people, including 216 foreign nationals, have been evacuated by air, while at least another 200 people have been rescued by ground teams.
However, aerial rescue operations were suspended overnight because of poor visibility, rain and the dangers of flying helicopters through remote mountainous areas in darkness.
The disaster has also raised concerns over workers involved in Nepal’s hydropower industry.
According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, nearly 900 Nepali workers employed on hydropower projects are still missing. About 361 workers have so far been rescued, but many others could remain trapped in tunnels or isolated work sites.
Rescue teams are facing significant difficulties reaching some of these locations because roads have either been washed away or buried under debris.
The scale of destruction has made restoring road access a major priority. Heavy earth-moving equipment is being deployed to clear rubble and reopen routes needed to deliver emergency supplies and reach isolated communities.
In parts of Nuwakot district, survivors have begun returning to communities devastated by the floods.
Villages have been left covered in thick layers of mud and debris, while damaged buildings and destroyed infrastructure remain scattered across the landscape. Excavators have been working through the wreckage as residents search for personal belongings and information about missing relatives.
In some areas, bridges have been destroyed, leaving only fragments of the structures standing and further isolating affected communities.
The destruction has also complicated efforts to recover bodies. Authorities are struggling to manage the growing number of victims being recovered from floodwaters and debris.
As rescue teams continue their work, families have been gathering at hospitals, medical centres and morgues in the hope of finding information about missing relatives.
The uncertainty has also affected Nepali communities abroad, with families in the United States, Australia and other countries waiting anxiously for news from relatives and friends caught in the disaster.
In Sydney, members of the Nepali diaspora and Australian officials gathered for a candlelight vigil to honour those killed. A similar gathering was held in Long Island, New York, as members of the Nepali community expressed solidarity with victims and their families.
One particularly poignant discovery came from a rescue site near Gyirong Port, a Chinese border crossing with Nepal. A mud-covered child’s toy bunny was found along the riverbank, highlighting the human cost of the disaster.
Authorities have reported no survivors at the Chinese border site since rescue teams arrived there on Friday.
Despite the scale of the devastation, rescue teams remain focused on reaching isolated communities and locating those still missing.
Officials say clearing blocked roads and restoring access will be crucial to bringing in heavy machinery, food, medical supplies and other emergency assistance.
With thousands still unaccounted for, authorities warn that the death toll could rise further as rescue workers reach areas that remain inaccessible.
The catastrophe has left communities on both sides of the Nepal-China border facing a long recovery, with the immediate priority remaining the search for survivors, recovery of victims and assistance to thousands of displaced people.
