Kathmandu, Sept. 16 -- The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal crossed 1,400 on Wednesday, with more bodies recovered in the flood-affected districts, while rescuers continued their search for more than 6,000 people who remain missing, officials said.
According to a bulletin issued by the Nepal Police, the death toll has surged to 1,404. While more than 13,700 people have been rescued so far, around 6,150 remain missing, officials said. Flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal. The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects.
The floods also killed 43 people on the Chinese side, where more than 500 remain missing, according to Chinese media.
In Nepal, 364 bodies were recovered in Chitwan district alone, the highest among all districts, followed by 232 in Nawalparasi East and 222 in Nawalparasi West. The rest were from Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Dhading and Tanahun districts, officials said. Identifying the dead has emerged as a major challenge. Of the total bodies recovered, only 104 have been handed over to families so far after identification, authorities said.
Bodies recovered after being swept downstream have often been severely damaged, decomposed or recovered only in parts, making identification by face, clothing or personal belongings difficult, officials said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.