[UPDATED] Nepal Flood Death Toll Rises to 547, More Than 1,400 Missing

The death toll from devastating floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border has risen to at least 547, according to Nepalese police, with more than 1,400 people still missing.

Chinese state media separately reported five deaths in Tibet following Wednesday’s disaster, bringing the combined death toll reported by authorities in Nepal and China to at least 552.

The disaster, described as Nepal’s deadliest since the 2015 earthquake, has left communities devastated and triggered a massive search-and-rescue operation across the mountainous border region.

The United States Geological Survey said the disaster was caused by a glacial collapse that unleashed a huge flow of ice, mud and debris.

Indian authorities have also recovered seven bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal, officials said on Friday. The bodies are believed to be victims of the floods but have not been included in Nepal’s official death toll pending identification.

The disaster has also created large pools of water behind massive debris deposits. One such formation burst on Friday in Tibet, raising fresh fears of further flooding and forcing rescuers to move to safer locations.

Nepalese police warned rescue teams to immediately withdraw after receiving information that “a water dam has burst again on the Tibetan side.”

Rescue Efforts Disrupted

In Tibet, Chinese authorities temporarily suspended rescue operations in the hardest-hit area of Gyirong on Friday because of the risk of renewed flooding.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that a lake formed by huge piles of debris had begun overflowing towards an area where rescue teams were preparing to operate.

“All rescue teams have been ordered to stand by in place and wait for further instructions,” the broadcaster reported, adding that emergency teams already in the area had been ordered to withdraw by one kilometre.

At a meeting chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, officials highlighted the “many hidden dangers of glaciers, ice lakes and geological disasters in the surrounding area” and warned that rescue operations were facing significant challenges, according to state news agency Xinhua.

‘Tunnel Rescue Operation’

Emergency teams have been racing against time to reach survivors in isolated areas where food, water and other essential supplies are running low.

The Nepalese military said it had located people trapped inside a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project and was working to determine how best to reach them.

“Two helicopters have been dispatched, but it is challenging because it is tough to even locate the entry points of the tunnel,” army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said.

About 350 workers and residents have already been rescued from the site, he said, while efforts continue to reach more than 100 people believed to remain trapped in the area.

Workers rescued from other hydropower projects along the Trishuli Valley described how quickly the disaster unfolded.

Buddha Tamang, a worker at one of the projects, said he survived because he was inside a tunnel when the flood struck.

“I survived as I was in the tunnel,” Tamang said after being airlifted to safety on Thursday following more than 24 hours stranded in the disaster zone.

“The senior officers working on the other side, they were all swept away,” he added.

Survivors Search for Missing Relatives

At a makeshift hospital in Nepal, survivors have been left anxiously waiting for information about relatives and loved ones who remain missing.

Kula Priya, whose eldest son is among those missing, said the floods had destroyed everything her family owned.

“I don’t care for wealth. I just want my son back. If any of you could rescue my son, please do it for me,” she said.

“I don’t know where to go. We had three houses, all of which were washed away by the floods.”

Nepalese authorities have reported hundreds of deaths, while 910 people, including 517 foreign tourists, remain out of contact in Nepal.

Indians make up the largest group among the missing foreign nationals, while the United States said 90 of its citizens were unaccounted for.

Across the border in Tibet, where access for foreign journalists is heavily restricted, Chinese authorities have reported hundreds of people missing and three deaths.

Chinese authorities also said 555 stranded tourists and 499 Chinese residents had been evacuated from affected areas in Tibet.

Pilgrimage Route Among Worst-Hit Areas

The disaster has also affected Hindu pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash on the Chinese side of the border, with scores of devotees from different countries among those reported missing.

Logadarrsiny Raman, a 26-year-old Malaysian, said she had lost contact with her parents, aunt and uncle, who were part of a pilgrimage group.

She said a travel agency told her that the last contact with a group of 17 Malaysians was on Wednesday morning as they travelled towards the Nepal-China border.

The flood struck the area shortly afterwards.

“I’m very anxious,” Raman said. “My only hope is to hear back from them that they are safe.”