Bhotekoshi flood death toll reaches 724, 4,472 missing — tunnel rescue continues as India, China send expert teams

30 August 2026 | Kathmandu, Rasuwa, Chitwan, Nuwakot — Updated 23:45 GMT

Only 22 of the 724 bodies that died in the floods of Bhotekoshi and Trishuli have been identified. According to Nepal Police, the management has become complicated due to problems in identifying the bodies. The government has started burying the bodies in 'airtight bags' after concluding that it is not possible to manage the bodies in the hospital. This work has started by managing a place in the forest area near Devghat.

The number of people missing has reached 4,472 in police records. Of these, 3,686 are Nepali and 788 are foreigners. It is estimated that many are missing outside the records. The rescue request portal operated by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers lists 7,848 people as missing.

A team of experts from India and China has arrived in Nepal to rescue those trapped in the tunnels of the hydropower project after the Bhotekoshi flood. Both teams will conduct an initial survey of the affected area and recommend necessary equipment and additional technical assistance.

Welcome to the latest news — where nature's fury, heroic rescues, and the search for the missing continues across Nepal.

724 Bodies Found, Only 22 Identified as Government Begins Managing Bodies in Airtight Bags

Only 22 of the 724 bodies that died in the floods of Bhotekoshi and Trishuli have been identified. According to Nepal Police, the management has become complicated due to problems in identifying the bodies. The government has started burying the bodies in 'airtight bags' after concluding that it is not possible to manage the bodies in the hospital. This work has started by managing a place in the forest area near Devghat.

The police have created a portal to identify the bodies and are making photos public. However, the bodies are in a damaged condition, making it difficult to identify them. Police spokesperson Abinarayan Kafle said that the relatives of the 22 identified bodies have already recognized them. Since only a small number of bodies have been identified, it has been decided to bury them with DNA samples so that they can be identified through DNA tests, according to spokesperson Kafle.

As per the decision of the District Security Committee, the bodies that need to be managed underground as per the Unidentified and Unclaimed Bodies Management (First Amendment) Directive, 2083, are being buried in 'airtight bags'. When buried in this way, the bodies will be safe and will be taken out if they are identified later, says spokesperson Kafle.

'If citizens contact the help desk after receiving information that the body has been identified through photos or other means, the bodies are handed over to the concerned relatives after completing the necessary identification and legal procedures based on the additional photos, marks, clothes and details mentioned in the post-mortem report of the scene of the incident,' he said.

'In the case of bodies whose identity could not be revealed, each body has been given a separate code number and the details including the photos, marks, identifying marks, clothes and materials found with it have been systematically recorded. Arrangements have been made to collect DNA samples so that they can be identified in the future.'

Chief District Officer of the District Administration Office, Chitwan, Ganesh Aryal, said that a hundred bodies were managed on Saturday alone. He said that due to the lack of infrastructure to keep the bodies safe for a long time, they had to be managed temporarily according to globally accepted humanitarian standards.

Kathmandu-Muglin Road Completely Blocked, Heavy Rains Cause Further Damage

The Kathmandu-Muglin road section has been completely blocked after the flood coming through Bhotekoshi cut off the road. Bagmati Province Traffic Chief Dilli Narayan Pandey informed that the road was blocked after the flood in Trishuli cut off the road from below.

The road, which was blocked for some time this morning, was completely closed in a short time. Today's rain starting 29 August at 3 o'clock this morning continuing till morning 30 August has brought massive flood. Many mountain side districts are affected with more news coming up.

Baireni Bazaar in Dhading has been submerged in water after floods hit Bhotekoshi in Rasuwa. The flood has caused widespread damage to settlements along the riverbanks.

Number of Missing Reaches 4,472 as Rescue Efforts Intensify

The number of people missing has reached 4,472 in police records. Of these, 3,686 are Nepali and 788 are foreigners. It is estimated that many are missing outside the records. The rescue request portal operated by the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers lists 7,848 people as missing. The office has stated that this information has not been verified. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has made public the details that about 2,500 people are missing.

An additional 3,000 security personnel were deployed on Saturday for the search and rescue of the missing. About 15,000 Armed Police Force were deployed until Friday, while 18,708 have been deployed since Saturday, Prime Minister Balendra Shah has informed. The Armed Police Force and Nepal Police are jointly deployed in the rescue operation under the leadership of the Nepal Army.

Despite the increase in numbers, there is criticism that the rescue operation has not been streamlined. So far, 7,514 people have been rescued by land and air, according to the Prime Minister's Office. 279 people trapped in the hydropower project have been rescued. Some are still trapped in the project's tunnels. 16 helicopters have been deployed for the rescue.

'However, due to the geographical conditions and adverse weather, it has not been possible to fly many flights at once,' said Prime Minister Shah. 'It has also been decided to increase the daily lunch expenses and incentive allowance to keep the morale of the security personnel who are deployed at risk of their lives high. We are also seeking assistance from the international community as needed during the rescue.'

Indian and Chinese Expert Teams Arrive to Rescue Trapped Workers

A team of experts from India and China has arrived in Nepal to rescue those trapped in the tunnels of the hydropower project after the Bhotekoshi flood. Both teams will conduct an initial survey of the affected area and recommend necessary equipment and additional technical assistance.

Although 187 foreign nationals have been rescued from the flood-affected area, 420 are still unaccounted for. The 11-member Indian expert team arrived in Kathmandu on Friday. According to the Indian Embassy, another expert team will arrive in Nepal with the necessary equipment based on the team's recommendation. Similarly, a six-member Chinese expert team also reached the flood-affected area on Saturday and monitored the tunnels. The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu announced on social media on Saturday evening that another four-member expert team will arrive.

India and China have sent expert teams after the government decided to seek assistance from neighboring countries, reversing its previous decision not to seek foreign assistance for rescue and search. At a press conference organized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said that assistance has been sought for the rescue of those trapped in tunnels due to floods in the Bhotekoshi.

He informed that assistance has been sought from friendly countries for opening tunnels where people are trapped, locating survivors in the affected areas, conducting forensic work and DNA testing, and arranging for long-term storage of bodies. 'Our security agencies and rescue teams are effectively managing the rescue operation,' he said. 'We have sought expert assistance from neighbors in the necessary areas to make it more effective.'

7-Year-Old Girl Rescued Alive After Four Days Buried in Mud

Four days after the flood in the Bhotekoshi River, a seven-year-old girl buried in mud in Timure, Gosainkunda Rural Municipality-2, was rescued alive on Saturday afternoon. A team deployed from Armed Police Force Nepal No. 20 Gulma Dhunche rescued the girl, Shirganga Ichai Magar, who was in a muddy condition. The girl, who was found in a seriously injured condition, was taken to Rasuwa District Hospital Dhunche by helicopter, according to the police involved in the rescue.

898 Hydropower Workers Still Missing, Families Demand Urgent Rescue

Four days after employees and workers were trapped in tunnels of various hydropower projects in Rasuwa after floods, relatives and stakeholders have expressed concern over the delay in rescue efforts.

It is estimated that between three and four hundred workers are trapped in the Haku-216 tunnel, while the rescue team has stated that the situation is risky and technically complex due to mud, water and debris.

According to the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), 898 people from 11 hydropower projects (including those under construction) are still unaccounted for. There is no exact data yet on how many employees and workers working in those projects are trapped in the tunnels and how many have disappeared in the landslides. The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has said that 361 people from various hydropower projects have been rescued.

Families of the concerned persons, hydropower promoters and the Nepal Electricity Authority are also expressing concern over the delay in the rescue of those trapped in the tunnels.

Bandhu Tharu of Keruwa, Janaknagar-1, Bardiya, said that he received news that his father Bishnu Tharu and mother Samjhana Chaudhary were trapped inside the tunnel. 'What food did they get there? How did they live? It seems like the whole family died from anxiety,' he said, 'The search is underway. Many are now saying not to hope.'

Bandhu's parents had gone inside to dig a tunnel for a hydropower project two months ago. According to him, they were working in tunnel number 3 at Haku-216 in Rasuwa. 'I see that some people have been rescued from inside the tunnel. I have not seen a photo of my parents in it,' he said.

According to Rajendra Bahadur Lama, the general secretary of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, the association's rescue team led by Bikram Karki had reached tunnel number 3 of Haku-216 and made an attempt to rescue them. The association's team has also not been able to reach the trapped workers. But he said the situation was risky and technically very complex because the tunnel was filled with mud and water.

US Pledges $3.6m Additional Aid, UN Provides $2m as International Community Responds

The US government has announced that it will provide more than $3.6 million in additional humanitarian assistance for flood victims in Nepal.

In a press release issued by the US Department of State on Saturday, it was stated that the US will provide more than $3.6 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance to support the Nepali people in their difficult times. According to the release, food items will be provided to 10,000 flood victims for three months. Earlier, it was announced to provide $500,000.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher ordered the release of $2m from the UN's central emergency response fund to help with medical care, shelter and water.

Over Rs 5 Billion Collected in Prime Minister's Disaster Fund

More than five billion rupees have been collected in the Prime Minister's Disaster Fund, run by the government for the flood victims. According to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, financial assistance for the victims through the Prime Minister's Disaster Fund and the Prime Minister's Fund has increased.

The office has launched the 'Rescue Request Portal' and made public the complete details of the amount received from home and abroad in these funds so far in a completely transparent manner. The office said that five billion four hundred and forty-six million eight hundred and eighteen thousand six hundred and sixty-six rupees have been deposited in the accounts of nine commercial banks in the Prime Minister's Relief Fund as of Saturday noon. Similarly, an additional one million eight thousand and eighteen thousand US dollars have been deposited in Himalayan and Laxmi Banks.

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