Nepal Floods: Rescuers Battle Harsh Conditions Amid Rising Death Toll
Flash floods near the Nepal-China border claim at least 162 lives, with hundreds of tourists among the missing.
Callum Smith
Rescuers are battling difficult conditions to reach areas affected by devastating floods in Nepal.
Thousands are feared dead after the torrent, with the death toll expected to climb significantly. The group was expected to head towards the China border at approximately 8:30 am on the day the flood struck.
The Nepal army dispatched 14 helicopters and disaster response teams to the affected region. Drone footage revealed destroyed roads and buried buildings, while the Trishuli River reportedly rose by nine meters (27ft) due to the flood wave.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported entire villages and markets were wiped out. An emergency worker claims it would take hours to reach stricken areas because of five-foot-deep sediment blocking roads.
My wife is still somewhere beneath the mud. She's gone.
The US Geological Survey initially reported a magnitude-4.4 earthquake, later updating it to a 5.2-magnitude landslide caused by glacial rock and ice collapsing. Experts claim the torrent was caused by a 2,000ft mass of ice that broke away from a glacier after being disturbed by a landslide.
Alerts were issued in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar due to fears of a second flood. United Nations chief António Guterres stated that UN teams and partners are mobilizing supplies and personnel in Nepal to support affected communities.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated it was "deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by the floods in Nepal." The US government will provide $500,000 in emergency assistance.
Keshav Prasad Baral lamented, "My wife is still somewhere beneath the mud. She's gone." Raju Bhadel claims his brother-in-law's entire house was swept away.
The most urgent task is doing everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people.
Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that "the most urgent task is doing everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people."