Nepal flash floods death toll hits 579 as rescuers race amid fresh flood risk

Kathmandu,UPDATED: Aug 28, 2026 20:50 IST

The death toll from the flash floods in central Nepal rose to 579 on Friday as search and rescue operations resumed at full pace after a brief slowdown over fears of fresh flooding in the Bhotekoshi River area. Thousands remain missing, while helicopters and ground teams are continuing rescue efforts across several affected districts.

The flooding, which struck Rasuwa and adjoining parts of central Nepal on Wednesday, has caused heavy damage to settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure. The Nepal government has also halted all examinations from August 29, announced relief measures, and said it had not refused foreign assistance but was prioritising the deployment of its own security forces.

The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said rising water levels at the site of the earlier flood had increased the risk of another flood. "The water level mixed with mud has increased at the same place where the flash flood occurred on Wednesday, and there is a risk of more flooding in the area," the NDRRMA said.

The authority urged people involved in search and rescue operations, as well as those staying in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli areas for various reasons, to remain highly alert and move to safer places immediately if they faced any risk.

Nepal Police said 579 bodies had been recovered from eight districts. According to the police, 233 bodies were recovered from Chitwan district, 154 from Nawalparasi East, 46 from Gorkha and 40 from Dhading. Another 37 bodies were recovered from Nuwakot, 30 from Tanahu, 27 from Nawalparasi West and 12 from Rasuwa. Chinese authorities separately said five people had been killed in Gyirong County in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

At least 1,924 people, including 86 security personnel, 517 foreign tourists and 127 Nepali travellers, have been missing since Wednesday morning. Official figures also said 1,545 injured and stranded people had been rescued from various affected regions, and 84 of them were undergoing treatment in hospitals in Kathmandu, where families were searching for their loved ones. In a separate update, authorities said 4,451 people had been rescued from different affected areas, including 129 foreign nationals, 85 of them Indians, and 191 people trapped in tunnels of various hydropower projects. Altogether, 101 injured people are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Kathmandu.

Search and rescue operations entered the third day with 7,451 security personnel on the ground, including 2,391 Nepal Army personnel, according to a police statement. The Kathmandu Post reported that helicopters were being used to reach isolated areas and evacuate survivors, while ground teams continued searching riverbanks and downstream settlements.

Hospitals in several areas are running out of morgue space as more bodies swept downstream are being recovered. Bodies recovered from Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been found as far as Chitwan, Tanahun, Nawalparasi, Gorkha and other districts.

Amid the disaster, the Nepal government decided to halt all examinations from August 29. Prime Minister Balendra Shah and members of his cabinet also decided at a cabinet meeting to donate one month's salary to the disaster relief fund. The cabinet directed the finance ministry to prepare a relief, concessional financing and rehabilitation package for individuals and businesses affected by the floods.

Nepal also denied that it had refused help from friendly countries and the international community, saying it wanted to prioritise the maximum deployment of its own security forces because they were familiar with local environmental conditions and rugged terrain. Speaking to the News Agency (RSS), Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said, " assistance was not rejected but that the rescue strategy was decided based on national capacity, immediate need and Nepal's unique geographical situation."

Meanwhile, China issued a Level-IV alert late on Thursday, saying a large barrier lake had formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers in Nepal. Chinese authorities informed Nepal that around 2 million cubic metres of water had accumulated in the lake, with another 3 million cubic metres potentially flowing into it over three days, raising concerns about a possible breach. The lake formed near rivers originating in Tibet and flowing into Nepal as part of the Bhotekoshi river system. Overall, the floods have left hundreds dead, thousands missing, and rescue and relief efforts continuing across central Nepal amid fears of further flooding.

With PTI Inputs

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