Nepal Flood Death Toll Hits 579 as Nearly 2,000 Remain Missing After Deadly Flash Floods

The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has risen to 579, with nearly 2,000 people still missing as rescue teams race against time to find survivors.

Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said 1,924 people remain unaccounted for, including 517 foreign nationals. About 4,000 people have been rescued, while 15,000 security personnel have been deployed across affected areas.

The disaster has also left hundreds of foreign tourists missing. Nepalese police said 575 foreign nationals from 36 countries are unaccounted for, including 183 Indians, 65 Americans, 62 Ukrainians and 33 British nationals. A further 149 Nepalese tourists are also missing.

Rescue operations have been complicated by the mountainous terrain, washed-away bridges, heavy rain and the threat of another major flood. Chinese authorities are closely monitoring a landslide-dammed lake near the Nepal-Tibet border after warning that its rising water level could cause the natural barrier to collapse and unleash another surge.

The floods were triggered after a landslide in the Himalayan region, with verified drone footage showing a glacier collapse near Langtang Lirung peak, more than 7,200 metres above sea level. The resulting torrent swept through communities along the Trishuli River, destroying buildings, roads and bridges.

Nepali soldiers and police have continued searching riverbanks and damaged communities for survivors and bodies. Authorities have also deployed an additional 1,200 soldiers along the river route from Rasuwa to Chitwan, one of the areas where large numbers of bodies have been recovered.

The scale of the disaster has created a major challenge in identifying and handling the dead. Officials said many bodies were carried downstream into distant districts, while some mortuaries have already reached capacity. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimates that about 93,000 people have been affected and has launched an emergency appeal for CHF25 million to support the response.

Families across Nepal and abroad are still waiting for news of missing relatives. Among them are foreign tourists and pilgrims who travelled to the region before the floods struck, while rescue workers continue their search despite difficult weather and fears of further flooding.