UN calls Nepal flood situation 'bone-chilling' as death toll tops 540
UN officials describe Nepal's flood crisis as 'bone-chilling' with over 540 dead, 93,000 affected, and rescue efforts hampered by new flooding.
United Nations officials on Friday described the situation in Nepal after a devastating flash flood as "bone-chilling," as rescue teams battled through mud and debris while fresh warnings of further flooding kept communities on edge.
Rescuers continued searching for hundreds of people still missing as the death toll climbed. Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority put the confirmed deaths at 538, while police later reported 547. Across the border in China's Tibet region, five people died and 558 remained missing, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Jens Laerke, deputy spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told reporters in Geneva: "Given the devastation that we have seen from what happened first, this is frankly bone-chilling, because there are a lot of people there, a lot of rescue workers in the area, so our concern is very high."
The International Red Cross estimated that at least 93,000 people have been affected and are in dire need of assistance, though the full scale remains unclear. David Fisher, the Red Cross's head of delegation for Nepal, said via video link that some areas are only reachable by helicopter, and initial assessments in Rasuwa district, near the Chinese border, have not yet begun. An assessment in Nuwakot, the second most affected district, is still incomplete.
"We are operating on still very, very estimated figures," Fisher said. He noted that a secondary flood feared overnight was weaker than Wednesday's disaster but still disrupted relief efforts, blocking truck shipments from reaching affected areas.
UNICEF spokesman Ricardo Pires said 18 schools were completely destroyed and 20 more damaged, with dozens of others near riverbanks at high risk. An estimated 10,000 school-age children urgently need support to continue their education.
The World Health Organization reported six health facilities damaged—four fully in Rasuwa and two partially in Dhading—and eight health workers missing. Authorities and partners are coordinating patient management, blood supply, first aid, and emergency response capacity.