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The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal rose to 939 on Monday, with bodies continuing to be recovered, while around 4,000 people are
still missing, authorities said. Meanwhile, around 158 Indians were rescued, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. The flash floods, triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal on August 26. 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.
Controlled Blast At Tunnel, What Thermal Camera Captured
Rescue teams are trying to trace workers and employees in various hydropower project site. A controlled blast was carried out in one of the sites as rescuers struggled to access a blocked tunnel. Expert teams from India and China are assisting the rescuers in these operations.
Kathmandu has sought additional international support, including specialised equipment and technical assistance for tunnel rescue and forensic work.
Nepal Seeks Additional International Support, Equipment
During a press briefing in Kathmandu on Monday, Nepal’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri said the country had sought essential non-food items and services such as freezers, DNA testing kits and LiDAR from the US, relief-specific items like DVI from Singapore, and belly bridges and high-capacity drones from China and Singapore.
So far, Nepal has received airtight bags for the management of bodies, while more are also being delivered.
Nepal has received rescue support from India, China, Japan, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and other countries and development partners.
158 Indians Rescued, Says MEA
The number of Indian nationals rescued in the wake of the devastating flash floods in Nepal stands at 158, Ministry of External Affairs' spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on Monday.
"Update on Indian nationals & India's rescue and relief efforts in Nepal Number of Indians rescued : 158 As of 2100 hrs, 31 August 2026," he posted.
Jaiswal also shared an update on the 19-member specialised forensics team from India that began functioning in Kathmandu on Sunday. "The specialised forensic team from India continued its work in Kathmandu today in coordination with counterparts from Nepal Police's Forensic Science Laboratory. They discussed the optimisation of various protocols and documentation," it said.
On the Indian tunnel rescue team deployed in Nepal, Jaiswal said, "The tunnel rescue operations team from India sustained its efforts in coordination with the Nepali Army at Chilime and Langtang hydropower sites today. Despite inclement weather and difficult access conditions at Chilime, the team was able to establish a foothold at the tunnel. Rescue efforts have will continue tomorrow."
(With agency inputs)
