The death toll from the devastating floods in Nepal has risen to 469. Search and rescue teams are continuing operations to reach people stranded in the affected areas, while new flood warnings have been issued for the northern parts of the country.
In the Trishuli region, roads were covered with thick layers of mud, leaving numerous vehicles partially buried. Security forces blocked access to dangerous areas near riverbeds with barricades.
Nepali authorities said the disaster was the country’s most severe natural catastrophe since the devastating earthquake of 2015. Experts believe the sudden flooding may have been triggered by the collapse of a glacier.
Hundreds Rescued
Hundreds of people have been evacuated to safety during search and rescue operations supported by helicopters. Most of the approximately 450 people trapped inside a tunnel in Trishuli have reportedly been evacuated.
Authorities said rescue efforts to locate missing people are continuing without interruption.
80 Bridges Destroyed, Roads Severely Damaged
The floods have also caused extensive damage to Nepal’s infrastructure. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that 80 bridges had been destroyed and approximately 40 kilometers of paved roads had suffered severe damage.
The destruction in areas near the Chinese border has also severely disrupted trade and transportation between Nepal and China. The flow of goods with China, Nepal’s second-largest trading partner, has reportedly come close to a complete halt.
The disruption to transportation and supply chains is expected to place a significant burden on Nepal’s economy, which relies heavily on foreign aid and imports.
555 Tourists Evacuated from Tibet
China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported that 555 tourists stranded in the Tibet region had been evacuated. However, information about casualties and people stranded in Tibet remains limited due to China’s restrictions on reporting in the region.
It remains unclear whether the figures reported from Tibet are connected to the casualties reported on the Nepalese side.
Meanwhile, authorities in India, Australia and the United States said some of their citizens were missing in the disaster zone. Search and rescue operations are continuing in the affected areas.
