Daijiworld Media Network – Kathmandu
Kathmandu, Sep 1: The devastating flash floods that struck Nepal along the Nepal-Tibet border have left a trail of destruction, with search and rescue teams racing against time to locate thousands of people still missing.
The death toll in Nepal has risen to 939, while around 4,000 people remain unaccounted for, according to authorities. More than 10,000 people have been rescued so far, even as intermittent rain, swollen rivers and damaged roads continue to hamper operations.
The extent of the tragedy became evident in Nuwakot district, where rescuers recovered 23 bodies from a single house buried under flood debris in Betravati village of Bidur Municipality.
Twenty-one bodies were found inside one room, while two others were recovered outside the three-storey house. The building was engulfed by debris carried by the swollen Bhotekoshi River during the August 26 floods.
Nuwakot Superintendent of Police Bipin Regmi said one of the deceased appeared to be a foreign national and bags were found alongside the bodies. Police suspect some of the victims may have been pilgrims travelling towards Gosaikunda. Their identities have not yet been confirmed.
Investigators believe several people may have moved towards the upper floors of the house as the floodwaters rose in an attempt to escape. However, the building was eventually overwhelmed by the flood and debris.
Among the bodies recovered was that of a woman found holding a young girl. Police suspect the two may have been a mother and daughter.
Eight of the recovered bodies have been shifted to Trishuli Hospital, while the remaining bodies have been temporarily kept on the roof of the building and will be transported later.
The disaster has also severely affected hydropower projects in Nepal, with hundreds of workers feared trapped in tunnels. Rescue teams are working in difficult terrain and damaged infrastructure to reach those still unaccounted for.
Indian rescue teams have joined the operations and are assisting Nepalese authorities in reaching affected areas, including locations where workers are believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels.
With thousands still missing, rescue teams continue to search through debris and flooded areas in a desperate effort to find survivors and account for those affected by one of Nepal's worst recent natural disasters.