The catastrophic flash floods in Nepal have resulted in the deaths of over 730 individuals, with more than 3,000 people, including numerous Indian and foreign tourists, still untraceable, as confirmed by authorities.
According to the Nepal Disaster Authority, the confirmed death toll has risen to 734, while rescue and relief operations are ongoing in the impacted regions.
Search teams are actively retrieving bodies that have been carried downstream by powerful rivers, with some found near the Nepal-India border. Chitwan and Nawalparasi East are among the severely affected regions, and additional bodies have been discovered in Gorkha, Dhading, and Nuwakot due to the overflow of the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, which originate in the Himalayas.
The flash floods were instigated by a landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, 2026, which severely damaged numerous hydropower projects and obliterated several villages and bridges in Rasuwa, Dhading, Nuwakot, and Chitawan districts.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) of Nepal reported that the substantial flood originated in the Trishuli River through the Bhote Koshi due to the landslide and swelling of the Lhende River at the Nepal-Tibet border.
Government Response and Rescue Operations
In a Facebook update on Saturday, Prime Minister Balen Shah indicated that the government is on high alert and is fully committed to relief and rehabilitation efforts following the Bhote Koshi River floods on August 26.
Shah detailed a coordinated multi-agency response to the floods affecting Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading, emphasizing that ensuring the safety of citizens is the utmost priority. He stated, “Protecting the lives of every affected citizen remains the government’s top priority.”
The Prime Minister acknowledged the extensive search and rescue operations undertaken under difficult weather and challenging geographical conditions.
As of 5:30 PM, 7,514 individuals have been successfully rescued via air and ground routes, including 279 individuals trapped in various hydropower project sites. The Nepali Army continues its rescue operations in other areas, with assistance from Indian and Chinese experts working alongside them.
To date, there have been 236 flights conducted using 16 helicopters from both the Nepali Army and private sectors for rescue missions in the affected areas. A total of 18,708 security personnel, including members of the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force, have been deployed to assist in these areas.
Support for Stranded Indian Nationals
India has reported that 320 of its citizens are still unaccounted for in Nepal, making them the largest group of foreign nationals currently missing. Individuals from Nagpur in Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Ranchi in Jharkhand, and various other regions in India are among those untraceable.
The Indian Embassy in China has issued an advisory providing contact information for Indian nationals who are stranded due to the flash floods.
The advisory stated, “Following the recent flash floods and mudslides in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), the People’s Republic of China has set up two dedicated 24-hour English-language hotlines to assist families seeking information about missing foreign nationals.”
The hotlines can be accessed at 0086-891-6817165 and 0086-183-0802-6705.
