The death toll from flooding and landslides at the Nepal-Tibet border has surpassed 900, while the number of missing persons has climbed to nearly 5,000, as rescue teams urgently work to save workers trapped in a tunnel.
On Monday, 31 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Nepal's Disaster Management Office reported that officials have found 903 bodies from last week's flash floods at the Nepal-Tibet border. The number of missing persons has risen to at least 4,247.
Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths in Tibet and 546 missing persons. Meanwhile, India has found 17 bodies floating down rivers connected to Nepal.
The disaster was caused by a large glacier collapsing from the mountains, sending ice, mud, and debris rushing into villages, especially on the Nepal side. This destroyed villages, power plants, roads, and bridges extensively. Reconstruction costs are expected to reach several billion US dollars.
Rescue teams from Nepal, China, India, and South Korea are urgently drilling into the Upper Trishuli 3A hydropower tunnel in Nepal to rescue about 100 workers believed trapped among the 933 missing laborers. Officials have accessed the upper part of the tunnel and are pumping air inside.
Nepal's Prime Minister Barendra Shah said officials lowered ropes and called out to the missing workers, but received no response. Nevertheless, the search operation continues.
In Tibet, local media reported over 2,000 personnel involved in rescue efforts. However, attempts to reach the disaster center at Gyirong checkpoint advanced only 285 meters last Sunday amid concerns that the lake formed by the glacier collapse could burst, worsening the situation.
Nepal is also facing morgue overcrowding, forcing the government to collect DNA samples before burying bodies in mass graves, allowing relatives to identify remains later. They have requested over 1,000 refrigerated storage units from the international community.
Amid the tragedy, there is hope as Nepalese officials successfully rescued a 6-year-old girl from beneath the mud four days after the disaster on Friday, 28 Aug. She has safely returned to her family.
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Source:cna