Nepal flash floods: Death toll mounts to 1,114 as search operations continue

Kathmandu: The death toll from the devastating floods in Rasuwa and surrounding districts has crossed the 1,100 mark, according to the latest search, rescue and relief update released by Nepali authorities on Wednesday morning.

As many as 1,114 bodies swept away by last week’s deadly floods had been recovered by 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said.

The highest number of bodies had been recovered in southern Chitwan district, with 348, followed by Nawalparasi East with 217, Nawalparasi West with 190, Nuwakot with 155, Gorkha with 66, Dhading with 59, Rasuwa with 41 and Tanahun with 38. The figures include body parts recovered from different locations.

Authorities said 95 bodies have so far been identified and handed over to their relatives.

According to the NDRRMA, 3,916 people remain out of contact, including government employees, security personnel, elected representatives, foreign nationals, Nepalis accompanying foreign tourists, local residents and workers employed at hydropower projects.

However, there is a discrepancy between the figures released by the NDRRMA and Nepal Police.

According to data provided by Nepal Police based on information collected until 8 a.m. Wednesday, 4,858 people, including 583 foreign nationals, remain out of contact.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of many people reported missing from 11 flood-affected hydropower projects remain unknown, as rescue efforts have so far produced limited results.

According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), the status of 983 people associated with 11 hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors in Rasuwa and Nuwakot remains unknown.

Nepali Army personnel, along with Indian and Chinese tunnel rescue teams, have been making efforts to reach deep inside tunnels at several hydropower projects to determine whether those reported missing can be located.

The private sector’s representative body for power developers said Tuesday evening that rescue efforts were continuing at projects including the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project (60 MW), Chilime Hydropower Project (22 MW), Langtang Khola Hydropower Project (20 MW), Trishuli 3B Hydropower Project (37 MW) and Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project (216 MW).

At the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project, 1,433 people were working when the floods struck, according to IPPAN.

Of them, 876 have either been rescued or have made contact.

Those still unaccounted for include 15 employees of the project company, 78 employees of EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractor Doosan, 94 employees of Andritz Hydro, seven employees of consultant — the Joint Venture of Lahmeyer International GmbH and Jade Consult Pvt. Ltd, and 385 workers employed by civil subcontractor PowerChina, according to IPPAN.

The whereabouts of 91 people reported missing from the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project (111 MW) remained unknown as of Tuesday.

A Nepali Army-led team conducted an on-site inspection on Monday and returned after reporting that it had found no one inside the powerhouse tunnel.

IANS