Nepal-Tibet floods: Death toll nears 700, over 3,000 remain missing as rescuers battle poor weather
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Nepal-Tibet floods: Death toll nears 700, over 3,000 remain missing as rescuers battle poor weather")
A disaster rescue personnel looks on at the site of damaged buildings in the aftermath of flash floods at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal's Nuwakot district on August 29, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Nepal-Tibet floods have killed 691 people and left more than 3,000 missing. Rescuers face poor weather and treacherous terrain while searching for survivors and workers trapped in tunnels.
The death toll from the catastrophic flash floods that tore through Nepal and parts of Tibet this week has climbed to nearly 700, as rescue teams battle worsening weather and treacherous terrain in a desperate search for more than 3,000 people still missing.
Four days after the disaster struck, the combined toll stood at 691, following fresh figures released by Chinese authorities on Sunday. Nepal has reported 675 deaths and 2,498 people missing, while authorities in Tibet confirmed 16 deaths and 546 missing.
Poor weather hampers rescue operations
Poor weather has repeatedly disrupted helicopter missions, complicating efforts to reach remote Himalayan communities cut off by landslides, mud and destroyed roads. In hard-hit Nuwakot district, aircraft resumed operations after a weather delay, ferrying food and other emergency supplies into isolated areas and evacuating survivors.
Nepal says more than 3,700 people have been rescued so far. But the search has taken on added urgency around hydropower projects, where officials fear more than 100 workers may still be trapped inside tunnels at the Trishuli 3A and 3B sites.
Search intensifies for trapped hydropower workers
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Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said "rescue efforts are going on in multiple tunnel sites." Teams have managed to pump air into one tunnel after breaking through thick mud, while attempts are underway to send cameras inside.
Specialist rescue teams from India and China have joined Nepalese forces, while mountain rescue experts are also being deployed.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said finding those still missing was "currently our national priority."
Fresh flood fears after glacier collapse
The disaster has also triggered fears of further flooding after a new lake formed high in the Himalayas following the glacier collapse believed to have caused the initial devastation. Scientists say the collapse unleashed huge volumes of rock, ice and water into river valleys below.
US announces $3.6 million in aid
The United States has pledged more than $3.6 million in emergency assistance to Nepal as rescue efforts continue. The funding will support immediate humanitarian needs, including food aid expected to reach up to 10,000 households. Washington has also said it is coordinating with Nepalese authorities to ensure relief supplies reach communities affected by the devastating floods.
