Kathmandu: Rescue teams in Nepal continued searching flood hit areas on Friday as the confirmed death toll from the disaster rose to 469, with hundreds of people still reported missing and authorities warning of the risk of further flooding.
The latest death toll was released by Nepal Police after bodies were recovered from several districts affected by the powerful flash floods that struck on August 26.
Chitwan has recorded the highest number of deaths, with 178 bodies recovered. Nawalparasi East has reported 110 deaths, followed by Gorkha with 44, Nuwakot with 37, Dhading with 33, Tanahun with 28, Nawalparasi West with 27 and Rasuwa with 12.
The number of people reported missing remains high. Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has reported 977 missing people, although authorities are still checking and updating the figures.
The missing include local residents, security personnel, government workers and foreign nationals. Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established an Emergency Control Room to help coordinate information and assistance for foreign nationals affected by the disaster.
Rescue operations are continuing in several districts. The Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force are using helicopters, heavy machinery and search teams to reach isolated communities and search through mud and debris.
The operation remains difficult because the floods destroyed roads and bridges and damaged other infrastructure. Some communities remain difficult to reach, while families continue to wait for information about relatives who have not been located.
Authorities are also closely watching a new threat created by the flood itself.
Debris has blocked the Bhote Koshi River and formed a barrier lake. Officials have warned that the water level could rise further and that the lake could breach, sending another surge of water downstream.
A similar situation is being monitored across the border in Tibet. Chinese authorities have warned that about 3 million cubic metres of water could enter an already dammed lake over the next three days. Peak flow is expected around September 1, increasing concerns about a possible breach.
The new flood risk has added urgency to rescue and evacuation efforts in areas already severely affected by the disaster.
The flooding followed a reported glacier collapse in the Himalayan region that sent water, ice, rock and mud into the river system. Scientists are continuing to examine the precise sequence of events. The wider role of climate change in the disaster has not been conclusively established.
The humanitarian response is also expanding. The United Nations and its partners have released $2.5 million in emergency funding and mobilised assessment teams and relief supplies to support Nepal's government led response.
The World Health Organization is working with Nepal's health authorities and has provided emergency medical supplies, medicines and multipurpose tents while monitoring possible health risks in affected communities.
The disaster has also affected neighbouring Tibet, where authorities have reported three deaths and 558 people missing in Gyirong County.
With rescue operations still under way, the death toll and missing person figures may change as more areas are reached and authorities verify information. For now, the priority remains finding missing people, helping survivors and protecting communities from the threat of further flooding.