Nepal flash floods toll reaches 547 as fresh Bhotekoshi flood risk looms

Kathmandu,UPDATED: Aug 28, 2026 17:48 IST

The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 547 on Friday as search and rescue operations continued for the third day, even as authorities warned of a fresh flood risk in the Bhotekoshi River area. The warning came after water levels rose again at the site of the devastating flash flood that struck earlier this week.

The floods swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday, killing hundreds, leaving thousands missing and causing widespread damage to settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure. Rescue teams have been working with caution amid fears that another surge of water and mud could hit the area.

The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said rising water levels 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. It urged people involved in search and rescue work, 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 face any risk.

Nepal Police said 547 bodies had been recovered from eight districts. According to the police, 134 bodies were recovered from Nawalparasi East, 221 from Chitwan, 44 from Gorkha, 38 from Nuwakot, 40 from Dhading, 29 from Tanu, 28 from Nawalparasi West and 13 from Rasuwa. Chinese authorities also said five people had been killed in Gyirong County in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

At least 977 people, including 86 security personnel, 517 foreign tourists and 127 Nepali travellers, have been missing since Wednesday morning. So far, 1,545 injured and stranded people have been rescued from various affected regions. Among them, 84 are being treated in hospitals in Kathmandu, where families are searching for their loved ones. The Nepal Tourism Board said 121 foreign tourists had been rescued from flood-hit regions till Friday afternoon, including 85 Indians, 9 South Koreans and 16 Chinese nationals.

Search and rescue operations have involved 7,451 security personnel, including 2,391 from the Nepal Army, police said. Helicopters have been used to reach isolated areas and evacuate survivors, while ground teams continue to search riverbanks and downstream settlements, The Kathmandu Post reported. The newspaper also said morgues in hospitals in several areas are running out of space as more bodies are being recovered downstream. Bodies recovered from Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been found as far downstream as Chitwan, Tanahun, Nawalparasi and Gorkha, among other districts.

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

China late on Thursday sounded a Level-IV alert, saying a large barrier lake had formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers in Nepal. China's emergency response system for natural disasters has four levels, with Level-I being the highest and Level IV the lowest. On Thursday, Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology had also warned of a fresh flood risk downstream of the Bhotekoshi River after the formation of a new barrier lake near the Nepal-China border. Chinese authorities told Nepal that around 2 million cubic metres of water had accumulated in the lake, with another 3 million cubic metres potentially entering it over three days, raising fears of a possible breach. The lake was formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers, which originate in Tibet and flow into Nepal as part of the Bhotekoshi river system.

With the death toll continuing to rise, hundreds still missing and the threat of another flood looming, Nepal's rescue and relief effort remains focused on finding survivors, recovering bodies and moving people to safety.

With PTI Inputs

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