The death toll from the catastrophic Rasuwa Bhote Koshi flash floods in Nepal has climbed to 675, with emergency teams continuing to recover bodies and human remains across multiple downstream districts.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority confirmed that as of 6:30 PM, 2,418 individuals remain missing or out of contact following the deluge.

Chitwan district has recorded the highest fatalities, with 246 bodies retrieved. Nawalparasi East reported 165 deaths, Nawalparasi West 63, Gorkha 57, Nuwakot 51, Dhading 45, Tanahun 35, and Rasuwa 13. Medical teams have treated or discharged 219 injured survivors across the impacted regions.

The missing include 933 workers from underground hydropower projects, 589 foreign citizens, and 127 Nepalis travelling with foreign tourists. Additionally, 104 security and government officials remain unaccounted for, including 45 Nepal Army personnel, 27 Nepal Police officers, 15 Customs staff, 13 Armed Police Force members, and 4 Immigration personnel. Geographically, missing person reports are concentrated in Rasuwa with 562, Nuwakot with 115, Makwanpur with 65, and Langtang National Park with 3.

To manage the crisis, 18,708 security personnel have been deployed, comprising 8,135 Nepal Police, 6,370 Nepal Army, and 4,203 Armed Police Force members. Air and ground operations have rescued 7,514 people so far. Nepali Army and private helicopters have completed 261 sorties, airlifting 227 foreign nationals and rescuing 279 workers trapped in flooded hydropower tunnels over the past two days.

Restoration efforts are underway. Technicians have restored 145 out of 198 damaged telephone towers, and an automated flood monitoring station has been established at Galchi. Financial assistance has been distributed, with ₹1 crore each allocated to Rasuwa and Nuwakot, ₹50 lakh to Dhading, and ₹6.57 crore across 15 affected local palikas. Relief teams have dispatched 37 trucks and 7 helicopter flights carrying food and non-food supplies.

Fuel reserves include 36,000 litres of diesel, 24,000 litres of petrol, and 14,000 litres of aviation fuel in Nuwakot to sustain aerial rescue operations.

India has been closely monitoring the situation. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that the Indian Embassy in Nepal immediately activated a 24-hour helpline to coordinate relief efforts and identify those requiring assistance.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted that a specialised technical team from India conducted reconnaissance of hydropower tunnels to facilitate rescue operations. India has dispatched special flights carrying medical aid and essential supplies, continuing to send relief material.

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal expressed gratitude for regional solidarity, noting that Nepal has received overwhelming aid from foreign nations, particularly India. He confirmed that India has already sent more than 57 tons of relief materials.

Essential items have also been received from China, Japan, Australia, and other partners. Khanal emphasised that as relief operations continue, further assessments will determine additional assistance required from neighbours and international partners.

This disaster underscores the vulnerability of Himalayan regions to sudden glacial and avalanche-related floods, which are becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change.

The scale of missing persons and fatalities has made this one of the deadliest disasters in Nepal’s modern history, with both national and international efforts focused on rescue, relief, and rebuilding.

ANI