Nepal flood toll hits 392; 290 Indians missing, India steps up aid
Nepal's flash flood death toll reaches 392, with 290 Indians missing. India sends relief flights and coordinates rescue efforts.
Rescue teams in Nepal are racing against time to locate survivors in the northern districts devastated by a flash flood earlier this week. The official death toll has climbed to 392, with hundreds still unaccounted for as of Thursday night. Search operations are focused on mud-filled valleys and hillsides, with the Nepal Army and security personnel leading the effort.
In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that at least 290 Indian nationals remain missing. This includes 73 individuals working on the Trishuli-1 hydropower project and tourist groups from states such as Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Around 200 other Indians are reportedly stranded on the Chinese side of the Sino-Nepal border, and authorities are coordinating with both Nepal and China to facilitate their evacuation.
Adding to the urgency, Nepal's flood forecasting division has issued a warning based on Chinese inputs about the formation of a significant barrier lake in Tibet. The lake, near the confluence of the Chhochen and Purepu Tsangpo rivers, is estimated to hold 2 million cubic metres of water and is already overflowing. An additional 3 million cubic metres is expected to flow in over the next three days, raising the risk of a breach. Authorities have alerted residents along the Trishuli river to take precautionary measures.
India has mobilised substantial relief efforts, dispatching a total of 47.5 tonnes of emergency supplies, including medicines and food packets, in two military transport aircraft. New Delhi is also exploring the deployment of Bailey bridges to restore connectivity, as many bridges in the affected areas have been washed away. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar chaired a high-level meeting with officials and India's envoys to Kathmandu and Beijing, stating that urgent efforts are underway to ascertain the well-being of all Indians in the flood-affected zones. Over 1,000 people have been moved to safety so far, with the majority from the worst-hit Rasuwa district.