Nepal Flood Death Toll Climbs To 903, Over 4,200 Still Missing

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 (Bernama) – The death toll from the devastating flash floods and landslides in Nepal has climbed to 903, while approximately 4,247 people remain unaccounted for, according to the latest government figures.

According to The Kathmandu Post, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said in its search, rescue and relief update issued at 9 am on Monday that 903 bodies, including human remains, had been recovered across several flood-affected districts.

Chitwan recorded the highest number of body recoveries at 272, followed by Nawalparasi East with 207 and Nawalparasi West with 151. Nuwakot reported 95 bodies, Gorkha 62, Dhading 55, Tanahun 37 and Rasuwa 24.

“Many bodies continue to be recovered hundreds of kilometres downstream after fast-moving floodwaters carried victims and debris along the river channels,” The Kathmandu Post reported. 

The number of people reported missing has risen sharply, with Nuwakot recording 1,558 people unaccounted for and Rasuwa 865. In addition, 933 people associated with a hydropower project, 592 foreign nationals and 127 Nepalis accompanying foreign tourists remain missing.

The government said 267 people had been injured, of whom 156 had been discharged after receiving treatment. Six specialised surgical medical teams have been deployed to the worst-affected areas.

Search, rescue and relief operations have intensified, with 20,819 security personnel deployed across the affected districts, comprising 8,722 from the Nepali Army, 7,894 from the Nepal Police and 4,203 from the Armed Police Force.

Authorities reported that 10,451 people have been rescued to date.

Aerial operations have played a central role, with 411 helicopter flights conducted so far (including 17 flights today). Aerial rescues by the Nepali Army account for 3,344 Nepalis and 252 foreign nationals—which included 15 Chinese and 7 Indian nationals evacuated from a hydropower site on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Nepal Police is turning to DNA profiling to identify bodies and body parts recovered after the devastating Bhote Koshi River flood, calling on close relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to provide DNA samples for comparison.

In a Facebook post, Nepal Police said first-degree relatives — fathers, mothers, sons or daughters — of missing persons have been asked to provide DNA samples for comparison with the recovered remains, Nepal Police said.

For relatives in Nepal, fresh blood samples can be submitted for DNA profiling at the Pathology Laboratory of Nepal Police Hospital in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, or the nearest District Police Office.

Relatives living abroad have been asked to undergo DNA profiling at an authorised laboratory in their country of residence and send a soft copy of the DNA profile to Nepal Police at dnacodis@nepalpolice.gov.np for comparison purposes.

-- BERNAMA