Kathmandu, Aug. 29 -- The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 675 on Saturday, with more bodies being recovered on Saturday even as more than 2,400 people still remained missing following the disaster.
Bodies were recovered from all eight affected districts as search and rescue operations continued on war footing, Nepal police said.
An ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a torrent of water, mud and debris downstream wiping out towns and villages, damaging crucial infrastructure and washing away hydropower stations through central Nepal on Wednesday.
So far, 675 bodies of the Bhote Koshi flood victims have been recovered from eight districts, according to a statement by Nepal Police.
The rescuers have recovered 246 bodies from Chitawan, 165 from Nawalparasi East, 63 from Nawalparasi West and 57 from Gorkha, it said.
Similarly, 45 bodies were recovered from Dhading district, 51 from Nuwakot, 35 from Tanahu and 13 from Rasuwa district.
More than 2,400 people remained missing as of Saturday.
Nearly 2,500 people, including 163 foreigners, were evacuated as rescue teams led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) raced against time amid on-and-off rainfall in the flood-affected regions.
More than 11,000 security personnel, including over 5,000 Nepal Army personnel, have been mobilised for search and rescue operations.
The NDRRMA, in a statement, urged people not to fly drones in the flood affected area, where search and rescue operations are being carried out.
"Our attention has been drawn that there are reports about flying drone by some individuals and organisations without the permission from the local administration at a time when rescue and relief works are in progress," it said.
The Authority warned of legal action if the law is breached.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday that at least 287 Indians remained missing while 88 others were rescued following the devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border four days back.
It said 128 persons of Indian origin have also been uncontactable. The MEA also said that 120 Indian nationals stranded on the Chinese side have safely crossed over to Nepal on Saturday.
Four Indian nationals -- Ripu Kumar, Chaneshwar Narzary, Kripa Shankar and Mohammed Minhajuddin -- were rescued from a hydropower project in Rasuwa, it said, adding they are expected to reach Kathmandu soon.
Rasuwa was among the areas severely impacted by the floods.
The death toll from Wednesday's flash floods in Nepal rose to 675 with more bodies recovered as search and rescue operations continued, according to the latest details shared by Nepalese authorities.
The MEA said India sent a six-member team of forensic experts to Nepal on Saturday to help local authorities to analyse DNA samples for identification of mortal remains of those killed in the floods.
India has also sent a specialised technical team for tunnel reconnaissance and rescue to the neighbouring country as part of its support.
"The team started working from today to assist in tunnel rescue in the impacted area. Based on their recommendation, a specialised tunnel rescue team from India with equipment is expected to reach Nepal today," the MEA said on social media.
It said 88 Indian nationals were rescued and 287 remained missing as of Saturday.
Meanwhile, an 11-member Indian team arrived in Nepal's flood-affected Trishuli area in Nuwakot district on Saturday to assist in efforts to rescue workers trapped in a tunnel belonging to a hydropower project.
The team, comprising medical personnel and tunnel-rescue specialists, arrived in Nepal on Friday.
After completing an aerial survey of the Chilime and Langtang areas, the Indian team began necessary rescue-related work around the tunnel area, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
Based on the team's recommendations, a specialised rescue team with equipment was expected to arrive in Nepal on Saturday night, the authority said.
An 82-member joint security team comprising Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel has been working since Friday night to clear debris and reach people believed to be trapped inside the tunnel.
Rescue efforts have been complicated by mud and debris blocking the tunnel entrance and adverse weather conditions.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.