Families in Nepal are desperately searching for missing relatives after devastating floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border claimed at least 180 lives.
On Wednesday, a powerful surge of water and mud swept through villages and towns along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. Nepali police said they had recovered 177 bodies as rescue operations continued across the affected areas.
Anxious relatives gathered at hospitals in Kathmandu on Thursday, hoping to find information about loved ones who remain unaccounted for following the disaster.
Among those searching was Subash Khatani, who visited the government-run Bir Hospital while checking missing-person lists and speaking with officials about his elder brother.
“My elder brother Ram Sharan Rasaili is among those missing in Rasuwa. That’s why we are out searching for him,” Khatani said.
Rasuwa, in northern Nepal, was the first district hit by the disaster. Floodwaters later spread across seven districts, traveling more than 160 kilometres (100 miles) south toward Chitwan, close to the Indian border.
Nepal’s disaster agency reported that 823 people remained out of contact on August 27, more than a day after the deadly flooding struck the border region. The figure includes 579 tourists from Nepal and other countries.
The exact cause of the disaster was initially uncertain. However, the U.S. Geological Survey said a glacial collapse triggered seismic activity and resulted in “catastrophic” downstream impacts in Nepal and Tibet.
Families Continue the Search
Chitra Bahadur Nepali, 52, was also searching for his nephew, Yubraj Sewak, a driver who had been traveling toward the severely affected Rasuwa district.
“My nephew was on his way to Rasuwa and was in contact with my sister until about 8:00 am yesterday,” Nepali, 52, said, showing his photograph on his phone.
“We have not heard from him since the flood. His name is not on any of the lists we have seen, and another member of our family is also missing.”
As rescue workers searched flood-ravaged communities for survivors, relatives continued moving between hospitals, police stations and helpdesks in the hope of receiving updates about missing family members.
Bir Hospital said it would provide free treatment to flood victims and was “fully prepared” to manage the increased number of patients, according to local media reports.
Situation in Tibet
The disaster also caused deaths and disappearances in neighboring Tibet. Chinese state media reported that the “mudslide disaster” had killed three people, while 558 people remained missing, including 260 foreigners.
With rescue operations continuing, authorities and families face the difficult task of identifying victims and locating those still missing. The number of casualties and people unaccounted for could change as emergency teams gain access to more affected communities.
