Nepal Flash Floods: Death Toll Rises to 1344, 275 Indian Nationals Still Missing

Kathmandu: As rescue and relief operations continue in Nepal in the wake of the devastating flash floods of August 26, the Nepal Police said on Saturday that the death toll has risen to 1,344.

The Nepal Police shared the latest death toll in a post on X.

The aftermath of the devastating floods has affected several aspects of life in Nepal, with authorities also grappling with concerns over the contamination of drinking water sources and the possible spread of communicable diseases in flood-hit areas.

The Kathmandu Post reported on Friday that five of the 15 drinking water sources in flood-hit Bidur were found to be contaminated with E. coli.

Officials are now considering cholera vaccination for around 1,00,000 vulnerable people and measles vaccination for more than 75,000 children.

Bidur is among the areas worst affected by the Bhote Koshi floods.

A total of 275 Indian nationals remain missing in Nepal following recent floods, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India is maintaining close coordination with the Nepali government, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the concerned state governments in India.

“We continue to be in close touch with the Nepali government and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here and the relevant or concerned state governments in India as well,” he said.

Jaiswal added that the ministry has been regularly releasing the names of Indians who have been rescued and expressed deep appreciation for the efforts of the Nepalese authorities. So far, 166 Indian nationals have been rescued in Nepal.

Separately, 1,907 Indian nationals have safely crossed into Nepal from China. According to official sources in China, no Indian travellers are currently stranded in the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Beyond the casualties, the floods swept away entire settlements and damaged or destroyed vital infrastructure, including roads, bridges and drinking water systems.

The Nepalese outlet reported that public health experts have warned that the risk of communicable, non-communicable and vector-borne diseases could increase in the aftermath of the disaster. They have advised authorities to step up preventive and relief measures, with particular attention to young children, elderly people and those living with non-communicable diseases.

As relief and rehabilitation efforts continue, the Government of Nepal has announced immediate cash support for affected areas. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) stated that NPR 10 million each has been allocated to Rasuwa and Nuwakot, NPR 5 million to Dhading, and NPR 135 million has been distributed among 15 affected local governments.

Earlier, a group of US lawmakers on Friday (local time) urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to step up American relief and search-and-rescue efforts in flood-hit Nepal, including by deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), providing additional humanitarian assistance and planning significant reconstruction support as the death toll from the disaster continues to mount.

Meanwhile, Indian specialised tunnel rescue and medical teams continue their complex search operations in flood-hit Nepal along with the Nepalese Army.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava on Thursday highlighted India's ongoing humanitarian aid, specialised tunnel rescue contingents, and a 19-member forensic team to aid the relief efforts in the flood-ravaged Nepal and assured that India would respond positively to its neighbour's request for reconstruction aid.

Highlighting the speed of India's response following the August 26 flash floods, Ambassador Srivastava noted that India has mobilised five relief flights packed with emergency supplies, and direct outreach with top Nepalese leadership began immediately.

The ongoing rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations are being carried out as authorities continue to assess the scale of destruction caused by the floods and address emerging humanitarian and public health concerns.

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