Nepal Flash Flood Death Toll Rises to 389 as Rescue Efforts Continue

Rescue teams in Nepal are using heavy machinery and sniffer dogs to search through mud and debris in towns devastated by a flash flood two days ago. The confirmed death toll has reached 389, with nearly 1,000 people still missing in Nepal and neighboring Tibet.

The flood was triggered by a glacier collapse on Wednesday morning, sending a torrent of rock, ice, mud, and debris through Himalayan river systems. The deluge destroyed power stations, roads, and bridges along a route connecting Kathmandu with Lhasa, a popular corridor for trekkers and pilgrims.

At least 540 of the missing are foreigners. Helicopters are being used to search for survivors and drop supplies to thousands cut off in remote valleys. In the hard-hit town of Rasuwa, survivor Dibga Tamang was airlifted to safety on Thursday. "All of our people have gone. They are dead," Tamang said. "I have no one left waiting for me."

Officials are now warning of a potential second disaster. A lake formed by debris blocking the Bhotekoshi River is rising and at risk of bursting. Chinese state media reported that about 3 million cubic meters of water is expected to flow into an already dammed lake over the next three days, with peak flow expected around September 1. "The volume of water is continuing to increase, and so is the risk," said Zhu Jinfeng, a researcher at China's water resources ministry.

On the Chinese side of the border, rescuers had yet to reach the worst-hit Gyirong border crossing by Thursday evening. The crossing is a key part of China's Belt and Road network. The tally of missing in Tibet's Gyirong County stands at 558, including 260 foreign nationals. China's Premier Li Qiang visited the disaster site on Thursday, signaling the government's high priority on the response.

Survivor Janak Bahadur described the flood in Nepal's Devighat: "It came in suddenly and exploded like a bomb. The river looked small from a distance but it suddenly started overflowing and swept through."

Countries including India, Australia, and South Korea have sent aid and rescue teams. U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. had offered support, noting the destruction was unlike anything seen before.

Relatives of the missing are desperate for news. Vasanthi Muniandy, whose sister Vennila was part of a Hindu pilgrimage group from Malaysia, last heard from her after she crossed into Tibet from Nepal. "I am totally broken. My sister is very important to me," she said. "I just want her to come back home."

In Nepal's Chitwan district, about 100 km from the worst-hit Trishuli region, authorities have recovered 103 bodies. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and tents are being set up for families to claim their dead.

Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who visited flood-hit Nuwakot on Thursday, said all state agencies are operating at full capacity. "Our first priority now is to save life of each citizen, search and rescue of the missing, treat the injured and provide immediate relief to the affected families," he said.

The disaster poses a major challenge for Shah's five-month-old government, though officials note the country has experience handling tragedies, including the 2015 earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people.