Nepal Floods: Death Toll Rises Amid Glacier Collapse Aftermath
Rescue operations enter fourth day as international aid arrives and search continues for nearly 2,500 unaccounted for individuals.
Sarah Connor
Floods in Nepal have claimed at least 626 lives following a devastating glacier collapse.
The catastrophic event caused massive floods, prompting Nepal to appeal to India and China for bailey bridges to restore critical transport routes.
A UK rescue team arrived in Nepal; the UK also provided £5 million in humanitarian support for relief and recovery efforts.
The scenes from Nepal are devastating, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected.
Ed Miliband stated, "The scenes from Nepal are devastating, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected."
Miliband further added, "The safety and welfare of British nationals is our top priority. That is why we are deploying a Rapid Deployment Team to Nepal to provide additional support on the ground for British nationals and their families."
Nine British nationals on a tour to Mount Kailash are among the missing.
Kathmandu appealed for foreign technical assistance while insisting it did not need help with general search and rescue; helicopter search-and-rescue missions were grounded on Saturday due to worsening weather.
Authorities believe more than 100 people are trapped in a tunnel filled with thick mud at the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project; search teams reportedly reached Gyirong Port, the border crossing on the Chinese side.
Monitoring data from the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources showed the new lake, formed by the glacier collapse, had dwindled in size by late Friday, its water level falling by 10 metres between Thursday and Friday morning.
The number of people unaccounted for in Nepal nearly doubled to 1,924, according to Nepali officials; Chinese state media claims 554 people were missing in Tibet.
Among the missing are reportedly dozens of Brits, including beauty pageant winner Surabhi Sahu, 44, her businessman husband Santosh, 46, their son Spandan, 18, and daughter Syna, 13.
Kailash Journeys claims seven UK nationals travelling with their group are unaccounted for; Sagar Shrestha reports 33 Britons are still missing.