The death toll from last week’s devastating flash floods and landslides along the Nepal-China border has risen above 1,000. Thousands of people are still missing as rescue teams continue their search.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 987 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal. Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths in Tibet. This brings the total number of confirmed deaths to more than 1,000.
At the same time, more than 4,400 people remain unaccounted for across both countries. In Nepal alone, about 3,916 people are still missing, including 583 foreigners from more than 30 countries. In China, 546 people are listed as missing.
The disaster began on August 26 when a glacial collapse high in the Himalayas sent a powerful wave of water, ice, rocks, and mud racing down valleys. Entire villages were destroyed. Roads, bridges, and homes were swept away. Many hydropower projects were badly damaged, and hundreds of workers are still feared trapped inside tunnels filled with mud.
Rescue teams, including the Nepal Army, police, and international helpers, have already saved more than 11,800 people. They are using helicopters, excavators, and controlled blasts to clear debris and reach remote areas. Conditions remain very difficult because of thick mud, damaged roads, and the risk of further flooding.
Authorities have started burying unidentified bodies in mass graves after morgues became full. DNA samples and other information are being collected so families can later identify their loved ones and perform traditional rites.
Nepal’s Prime Minister has called for stronger international action on climate change, saying the disaster shows the growing risks from melting glaciers in the Himalayas.