At least 1,200 people have died and more than 4,200 remain missing in Nepal as rescue and relief operations intensify a week after catastrophic flash floods struck along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Nepal’s disaster agency says nearly 12,000 people have been rescued, while efforts are continuing to reach workers, potentially in the hundreds, believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels.
On the Tibetan side of the border, Chinese state media says 21 people have died and more than 540 remain unaccounted for.
The massive flash flood, believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse last Wednesday, swept through a Himalayan valley and destroyed villages.
More than 40 bridges have been destroyed, making access to some of the worst-hit areas difficult.
Chinese and Indian experts are helping construct temporary bridges to reach remote areas, while drones are being used to search areas that rescuers cannot easily access.
Some remote communities are relying on army helicopters for essential supplies, while villages continue to face shortages of fuel and electricity.
In Nepal, nearly 3,500 people have been left homeless and displaced across 27 sites, mostly schools, in the Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts.
The United Nations says the priority is now delivering aid, recovering those who died, tracing missing relatives and reuniting separated children.
The UN has warned that overcrowded shelters, contaminated water and damaged health facilities are increasing the risk of disease during the monsoon season.
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah says there is now a renewed focus on protecting survivors and providing medical treatment and psychological counselling.
Shah says the disaster was beyond predictable forecasts but acknowledged the growing risks facing the Himalayan region because of climate change.
Nepal has declared a disaster in 15 affected areas for three months to provide financial assistance to families, relocate displaced people and deploy the army.
The Nepalese Government and the UN have also agreed to launch a four-month humanitarian appeal.
Source: BBC
