Nepal Flood Death Toll Rises to 1,114 as Search and Rescue Efforts Continue
Kathmandu — The death toll from devastating floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa district and surrounding areas has risen to 1,114 as search, rescue and relief operations continue, authorities said Wednesday.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 1,114 bodies swept away by last week’s floods had been recovered as of 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The largest number of recoveries was reported in Chitwan district, where 348 bodies were found. Authorities reported 217 recoveries in Nawalparasi East, 190 in Nawalparasi West, 155 in Nuwakot, 66 in Gorkha, 59 in Dhading, 41 in Rasuwa and 38 in Tanahun. The totals include body parts recovered from several locations.
Authorities said 95 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families.
The disaster management agency said 3,916 people remain out of contact, including government employees, security personnel, elected officials, foreign nationals, local residents, hydropower workers and Nepalis accompanying foreign tourists.
Nepal Police, however, reported a higher number of missing people. Based on information collected through 8 a.m. Wednesday, police said 4,858 people, including 583 foreign nationals, remained out of contact.
Rescue teams are also searching for hundreds of people reported missing from hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
The Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal said the status of 983 people associated with 11 hydropower projects remained unknown.
Nepali Army personnel, joined by Indian and Chinese tunnel rescue teams, have been attempting to reach deep inside tunnels at several hydropower facilities to search for missing workers.
Rescue operations were continuing at projects including the 60-megawatt Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project, the 22-MW Chilime Hydropower Project, the 20-MW Langtang Khola Hydropower Project, the 37-MW Trishuli 3B Hydropower Project and the 216-MW Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project.
At Upper Trishuli-1, 1,433 people were working when the floods struck, according to the power producers’ association. Of those, 876 have either been rescued or have since made contact.
Those still unaccounted for include employees of the project company, contractors, consultants and hundreds of workers employed by civil subcontractor PowerChina.
The whereabouts of 91 people reported missing from the 111-MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project also remained unknown as of Tuesday.
A Nepali Army-led team inspected the site Monday but reported finding no one inside the powerhouse tunnel. (Source: IANS)
