Nepal floods: 149 Indian nationals rescued as death toll rises to 788, over 2,500 missing

At least 149 Indian nationals have been rescued from flood-hit Nepal, even as the death toll from the devastating flash floods rose to 788 and more than 2,500 people remained missing, authorities said on Sunday.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shared a list of 149 rescued people on its X handle, a day after it said that more than 275 Indians and 128 persons of Indian origin remained missing or non-contactable in Nepal.

Meanwhile, India’s tunnel rescue team joined the Nepali Army in search & rescue operations at hydropower tunnel sites in the Chilime and Langtang areas today.

The latest rescue figure comes as search operations continue across the disaster-hit country on the fifth day of the floods, with rescuers recovering bodies from eight affected districts and racing to locate those still missing or stranded.

Death toll climbs to 788 as search operations continue

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said the death toll has surged to 788.

The NDRRMA further said that at least 2,502 people are still missing, while 9,435 people were rescued from flood-hit areas so far.

It killed 16 people on the Chinese side as well, while nearly 550 people remain missing in Tibet, according to Chinese media reports.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the NDRRMA warned that water levels in the Bhotekoshi River had risen again. ”The water level in the flooded Bhotekoshi River has risen to some extent; all concerned are urged to take precautionary measures,” it said, adding that it will provide updates on the situation after receiving additional information.

The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, creating havoc on August 26.

With inputs from agencies