Nepal is facing a major humanitarian crisis after devastating flash floods swept through parts of the country, killing hundreds of people and leaving thousands missing. The disaster, triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, sent a massive torrent through the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system, destroying homes, roads, bridges and several hydropower projects.
As of September 1, the death toll in Nepal has risen to 962, while nearly 4,000 people remain unaccounted for, according to authorities. The combined number of deaths across Nepal and Tibet has surpassed 950, with more than 4,400 people reported missing in the two regions.
The number of missing and deceased people in Nepal has risen sharply in recent days. Authorities previously reported 903 deaths and 4,247 people missing, with the number of unaccounted people increasing dramatically within a short period. The changing figures reflect the ongoing difficulty of identifying victims and determining the whereabouts of people in remote, heavily damaged areas.
Rescue Operations Underway
Rescue teams are racing against time to locate hundreds of workers believed to have been trapped underground at hydropower projects hit by the floods.
Nepalese military personnel are leading the rescue operations, supported by specialists and equipment from China, India and South Korea. Teams are using heavy excavation machinery, drilling equipment and drones to search blocked tunnels and clear vast quantities of mud, rocks and other debris.
The challenging Himalayan terrain, unstable ground conditions, damaged roads and bridges, and continuing bad weather have made rescue operations particularly difficult. Rain has also affected helicopter operations and increased concerns about further landslides.
In a search operation in Rasuwagadhi, rescuers reached the far end of a hydropower tunnel and deployed drones to inspect areas that were too dangerous or difficult to enter directly. However, the drones found no indication that anyone remained inside. After determining that no one was in the tunnel, the rescue team abandoned the search and returned to Dhunche in Rasuwa district.
The rescue operation has now entered a critical phase, with families pressing authorities to accelerate efforts to reach underground powerhouses and tunnel sections that remain inaccessible.
South Korea has also announced that it will send a 44-member emergency disaster-relief team to Nepal following a formal request for assistance. The team will support search-and-rescue operations in the affected Rasuwa region.
Hundreds of Hydropower Workers Missing
Hundreds of workers were underground at several hydropower projects when the floodwaters struck. In some locations, rescuers have struggled to determine whether missing workers remain trapped inside tunnels, escaped to higher ground or were swept away by the floodwaters.
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) previously reported that 933 people associated with hydropower projects were missing, while the total number of people unaccounted for stood at 4,247, with at least 903 known to have died.
Rescuers have so far brought 279 people out of hydropower tunnels, including 254 workers from the Upper Trishuli-1 project and 18 from the Langtang Khola project.
Separately, the Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN) said hundreds of employees at hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot remain out of contact. More recent reports say around 900 hydropower workers are unaccounted for across several affected projects, with roughly 500 believed to be trapped inside tunnels.
The figures differ between agencies because authorities are still working to establish the whereabouts of people reported missing and reconcile reports from individual hydropower projects.
At the Upper Trishuli-1 project, more than 576 people remain unaccounted for, according to the latest local reporting. At Upper Trishuli-3B, around 122 people remain out of contact. At Rasuwagadhi, more than 90 people associated with the project are also unaccounted for.
At the Upper Trishuli-3A project, rescuers are working through a tunnel system filled with water, mud and large rocks. Teams still have a significant distance to cover before reaching the underground powerhouse where dozens of workers are feared trapped.
Search Continues Amid Destruction
More than 950 people have now been killed across Nepal and Tibet, while thousands remain unaccounted for. Rescue teams continue to search damaged hydropower facilities and other affected areas as families wait for information about missing relatives.
Authorities are also facing difficulties identifying bodies recovered downstream, while families are searching hospitals and official records for information. Damaged roads and bridges have isolated communities, making it difficult to transport rescue equipment and emergency supplies.
The humanitarian situation is also worsening. The United Nations estimates that around 65,000 people urgently need water, sanitation and hygiene assistance in the flood-affected areas.
The disaster has also caused extensive damage to Nepal's hydropower infrastructure, roads, bridges and other essential facilities. Several hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot were severely damaged, further complicating rescue operations and threatening the country's electricity infrastructure.
With thousands of people still missing and hundreds of hydropower workers potentially trapped underground, rescuers are continuing tunnel searches around the clock. International teams are joining Nepal's efforts, while authorities work to restore access to isolated communities and determine the full scale of the destruction.
For families waiting for news, the rescue operation remains a race against time. The longer blocked tunnels remain inaccessible, the harder the search becomes, but rescue teams continue working through mud, water, and debris in the hope of finding survivors.
