The death toll from devastating flash floods triggered by a glacier collapse in Nepal has risen to 579, while 1,924 people remain missing as rescue teams continue searching for survivors amid fears of further flooding in the Himalayan region.
The disaster struck northern Nepal and neighbouring Tibet on Wednesday, affecting more than 90,000 people and destroying roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure. Hundreds of foreign tourists and pilgrims are also reportedly unaccounted for.
Rescue operations resumed on Friday after being temporarily suspended over concerns that a lake formed by flood debris could burst its banks, potentially causing another wave of water and mud.
Nepalese authorities said the immediate threat had eased enough for search-and-rescue teams to return to the affected areas. However, two upstream barrier lakes remain under close monitoring because of the possibility of further flooding.
The flash floods were triggered when a glacier collapsed, sending huge quantities of rock, ice, mud and debris into Himalayan river systems. The resulting torrents swept through villages, destroyed homes and damaged roads, bridges and power infrastructure.
The affected route linking Kathmandu with Lhasa in Tibet is popular with trekkers and pilgrims travelling to destinations including Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
Authorities said at least 540 foreigners are among those missing in Nepal, including nationals from India, China, the United States, Malaysia, Ukraine, Britain, Australia and Canada.
China's Tibet region has also reported five deaths, while 558 people remain missing in Gyirong County, including 260 foreign nationals.
In northern India, police said 10 bodies believed to have been carried downstream from Nepal were recovered from rivers in Uttar Pradesh.
The scale of the disaster has overwhelmed some local facilities. Emergency workers have struggled to accommodate and identify recovered bodies. In Bharatpur, a government building has reportedly been converted into a temporary mortuary after hospitals and existing morgues became overwhelmed.
Some bodies were severely damaged by the floodwaters, making identification difficult. Police have been photographing identifiable remains and providing information to families searching for missing relatives.
Helicopters have been deployed to search remote valleys and deliver emergency supplies to communities cut off by destroyed roads and damaged communication networks.
More than 3,700 people have been rescued, including survivors trapped inside a tunnel at a hydroelectric project under construction.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said about 93,000 people had been affected and urgently needed humanitarian assistance.
Its head of delegation in Nepal, David Fisher, warned that the humanitarian situation could worsen if additional flooding occurs. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has also warned that the situation remains unstable, with further hazards possible.
Nepal is using satellite imagery to monitor two barrier lakes upstream from the flood zone. One of the lakes has reportedly increased in size, raising concerns that continued water accumulation could trigger another major flood.
Chinese authorities have similarly warned about risks from unstable glacial lakes in the region, despite the easing of the immediate threat from one flood-created lake.
The World Health Organisation said six health facilities had been damaged and eight healthcare workers were missing. It warned that displacement, overcrowding and disruption to water, sanitation and healthcare services could increase the risk of infectious diseases, including diarrhoea and respiratory illnesses.
The disaster has prompted an international response, with India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh reportedly offering assistance. Nepal, however, said it did not currently require foreign rescue teams.
China's President Xi Jinping called for stronger monitoring of glacier lakes and landslide risks, emergency assistance for affected communities and greater international cooperation in disaster response.
The disaster has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of Himalayan communities to climate-related hazards. Nepal's glaciers have lost significant amounts of ice in recent decades, while scientists have warned that rising temperatures can increase meltwater and weaken ice and rock structures, potentially increasing the risk of cascading disasters.
As rescue operations continue, families have gathered at military bases and emergency centres, checking lists of rescued people and photographs of unidentified bodies in the hope of finding their missing relatives.
Authorities have vowed to continue the search despite difficult terrain, damaged infrastructure and the continuing threat of further flooding.
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