The death toll from devastating floods, landslides and mudslides along Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River has risen to 1,127, while 4,858 people remain missing, Nepal Police said on Wednesday. The disaster, triggered by collapses of ice and rocks in the high Himalayas, has caused widespread destruction across several districts.
The death toll could rise further as rescue operations continue, according to Nepal Police. Bodies have been recovered from several districts and neighbouring India, The Kathmandu Post reported.
As of 5am on Wednesday, police had recovered 45 bodies in Rasuwa district, 155 in Nuwakot, 59 in Dhading, 348 in Chitwan, 66 in Gorkha, 38 in Tanahun, 217 in Nawalparasi East, 190 in Nawalparasi West and nine in India.
Police said post-mortem examinations and legal identification procedures had been completed for 1,113 bodies. Of those, 95 bodies have been handed over to relatives.
Nepal Police has published details of 911 unidentified bodies on its website to assist families searching for missing relatives.
A total of 7,912 police personnel have been deployed for search and rescue operations, relief distribution and the management of recovered bodies in flood-hit areas. Police said 6,541 people have been rescued from affected areas so far.
Search operations are continuing for the 4,858 people reported missing. Police teams are relocating families from high-risk areas, clearing roads blocked by debris and coordinating search, rescue and relief operations with local authorities and residents.
The floods caused by ice and rock collapses have devastated extensive areas along the Bhote Koshi River, damaging settlements, roads, border trade centres and hydropower infrastructure in several districts.