The death toll from devastating floods in Nepal has surpassed 1,000 as rescuers continue efforts to reach thousands of people still missing nearly a week after the disaster.
The death toll has risen to 1,050, while about 4,000 people remain missing, including 583 foreign nationals.
The disaster was triggered by a glacier collapse last Wednesday, sending ice, rocks and mud through towns and valleys near Nepal’s border with China.
Specialised rescue teams from Nepal, China and India are using heavy machinery and temporary bridges to reach areas cut off by the disaster.
Rescue efforts are also focused on hydropower stations, where hundreds of people remain stranded or trapped.
Nepal’s disaster management authority says at least 639 people remain stranded at devastated hydropower stations.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah says 279 workers have been rescued from hydropower projects, while more than 11,000 people have been rescued overall.
According to a preliminary estimate by the United Nations Development Programme, the disaster has left at least 2.2 million tonnes of debris, including parts of buildings, rocks and sediment.
More than $42 million worth of aid has flowed into Nepal following the disaster, with contributions expected to increase.
Source: Reuters
