Death toll rises to 734 in Nepal floods; more than 275 Indians still missing

The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 734 on Sunday as rescuers recovered more bodies, while nearly 2,500 people remain missing on the fifth day of the disaster.

Bodies have been recovered from all eight affected districts as rescue teams race against time to search for those missing and evacuate people stranded in the flood-hit areas.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said the death toll had climbed to 734.

Chitwan recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 259 bodies recovered, followed by Nawalparasi East with 184, Nawalparasi West with 82 and Gorkha with 58. Another 52 bodies were recovered from Nuwakot, 50 from Dhading, 36 from Tanahu and 13 from Rasuwa, the NDRRMA said.

A total of 2,498 people remain missing, including 85 security personnel and 320 foreign nationals.

More than 275 Indians are among those still missing, while 108 Indian nationals have been rescued from the affected areas. Another 128 persons of Indian origin remain uncontactable, according to the latest information.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said 598 Indian nationals had safely crossed into Nepal from China over the past two days. Around 900 Indians remain on the Chinese side but are safe and in contact with authorities, it said.

Meanwhile, China on Sunday said 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries were missing on the Tibetan side of a border crossing with Nepal.

Officials from China's Tibet Autonomous Region said at a press conference that the highest number of missing foreigners was from Nepal at 104, while 49 Indian, 33 Latvian, 18 American and 15 British citizens were also unaccounted for. They said authorities in Beijing have notified foreign missions.

Rescue teams have so far evacuated 8,186 people from the affected districts, including 227 foreign nationals.

Meanwhile, India has provided 68.5 tonnes of relief materials and sent technical teams, forensic experts and equipment to assist in search and rescue operations in Nepal, the Indian Embassy has said.

The disaster struck on Wednesday after an ice-rock avalanche, believed to have followed a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border, sent a massive torrent of water, mud and debris downstream. The floods devastated towns and villages across central Nepal, damaging roads, bridges and other crucial infrastructure and washing away hydropower facilities.