Rescue operations along the Nepal-China border have been hindered by poor weather, with the death toll from recent floods and mudslides rising to at least 676 people. The combined toll in Nepal and Tibet has reached 676 dead and nearly 3,000 people missing, according to updated figures from Nepali authorities.
Chinese authorities have reported seven deaths and more than 550 missing, while Nepal's disaster agency said the death toll had climbed to 669 with 2,426 people missing. Experts believe the mudslides and flash flooding were caused by a large chunk of ice breaking off a glacier and falling into the Lhende Khola River.
Rescue efforts at the main disaster zone have been complicated by damaged roads and difficulty establishing communication. "Search and rescue operations have been temporarily halted because it is raining, and the weather is foggy," said Narendra Pariyar, a top official for Nepal's Rasuwa district.
Nepal's authorities have requested that China send tunnel experts to assist with the rescue efforts, as up to 100 people are still trapped in a mud-filled hydropower plant tunnel. China has dispatched five such workers from Tibet to assist, according to the country's state-affiliated Xinhua news agency.
Nepal's finance minister, Swarnim Wagle, estimated that the country will need over $4 billion to rebuild after the disaster. However, officials say a previous threat from a lake that had formed on the border between Nepal and Tibet has substantially subsided, reducing the risk of further flooding.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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