Death toll rises to 359 in Nepal flash floods as rescuers look for survivors

3 hours ago

As the death toll from Nepal’s devastating flash floods surged to 359 on Thursday, rescuers launched a desperate race against time to trace hundreds still missing, including 288 Indian nationals.

The massive flash flood originating in Tibet swept through central Nepal on Wednesday, devastating several towns and villages, washing away critical bridges and crippling a dozen hydropower projects, as it gushed downstream, affecting multiple districts.

According to data released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), at least 826 people are missing in the flash floods, of which 590 were tourists.

The Ministry of External Affairs said in New Delhi that 288 of the missing people were Indians.

A preliminary assessment by Nepalese authorities and a revised analysis by the US Geological Survey point to a glacial collapse or ice-rock avalanche as the trigger for the devastating flash floods.