Nepal rescuers battle mud, debris in race to find survivors as toll nears 700

Nepal's rescuers battled mud, debris and treacherous weather on Saturday as they searched for survivors and nearly 3,000 people still missing, days after devastating floods killed 675 people.

Search and rescue operations resumed on Saturday after a brief suspension caused by rain and fog, with helicopters returning to the skies and teams combing through rubble in the worst-hit areas, including Rasuwa and Nuwakot, along the Tibet border.

Triggered by a glacier collapse, the flash floods sent torrents of rock, ice, mud and debris through mountain river systems on Wednesday, sweeping away buildings, bridges and power stations across Nepal.

The catastrophe also occurred in Tibet's Gyirong County, where a border crossing complex was completely destroyed after torrents of water and debris engulfed buildings when the flood hit. Seven people have died there so far.

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