Kathmandu (Rajeev Sharma): Nepal’s flood crisis continued to worsen as the number of fatalities rose to 626, police said, while rescue teams entered the fourth day of operations to locate survivors and people reported missing following widespread flooding and landslides.
The latest death toll is significantly higher than the earlier figure of 579. Authorities are still trying to establish the whereabouts of nearly 2,000 people, with fears that the casualty count could rise as teams gain access to areas cut off by the disaster.
Thousands of families have been left without basic necessities, prompting an urgent humanitarian response. The United Nations has warned that tens of thousands of households require food and safe drinking water, highlighting the scale of the emergency facing communities in the worst-hit regions.
Rescue operations have already brought around 4,000 people to safety, according to Nepali officials. However, damaged infrastructure, difficult terrain and continuing adverse weather have made it challenging for emergency teams to reach isolated locations.
The international community has begun mobilising assistance for Nepal. The European Union, Canada and the United States have announced relief support, either through essential supplies or financial aid, as humanitarian agencies work alongside local authorities.
The situation has also affected neighbouring Tibet, where Chinese authorities have reported seven deaths. Forecasts of further rainfall have added to concerns that fresh flooding and landslides could occur, potentially slowing down rescue efforts.
Emergency personnel remain deployed across affected areas, focusing on evacuations, searches for missing people and the delivery of food and drinking water. With thousands still unaccounted for, authorities face a race against time to reach isolated communities and determine the full extent of the disaster.
