Nepal Flood Death Toll Rises To 1,365, Over 5,300 Still Missing

Nepal’s devastating flash floods have claimed 1,365 lives, with rescue teams continuing an intensive search for thousands of people still unaccounted for, authorities said on Wednesday.

According to a Nepal Police bulletin, 5,326 people remain missing, including at least 589 foreign nationals, as search operations continue across some of the worst-hit parts of the country.

Chitwan has recorded the highest number of recovered bodies at 363, followed by Nawalparasi East with 226, Nawalparasi West with 222 and Nuwakot with 197. Authorities have also recovered 174 bodies from Rasuwa, 75 from Gorkha, 70 from Dhading and 38 from Tanahu.

Police said 102 bodies have so far been identified and handed over to their families. Meanwhile, 1,147 unidentified bodies have been kept underground by security personnel under prescribed procedures. DNA samples have been collected to assist authorities in establishing their identities and reuniting them with their families.

The disaster was triggered on August 26 after an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a massive surge of water downstream. The Bhotekoshi River, flowing south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters through towns and villages, causing widespread destruction.

Homes, vehicles, roads and bridges were swept away, while several hydropower projects also suffered extensive damage. The scale of the devastation has left rescue and recovery teams facing a daunting task in difficult terrain.

The disaster has also had a deadly impact across the border in China. At least 43 people were killed on the Chinese side, while more than 500 people remain missing in Tibet, according to Chinese media reports.

With thousands still missing, rescue personnel are continuing search operations while authorities work simultaneously to identify recovered victims and assess the full extent of the destruction.