Kathmandu: Nepal is battling a devastating humanitarian crisis after catastrophic flash floods swept through the Himalayan nation, killing 669 people and leaving 2,362 missing, as rescue teams race against time to reach communities buried under mud and debris.
The disaster, which struck on Wednesday, has devastated large parts of central Nepal, particularly Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan. Homes, bridges, roads, vehicles and hydropower projects were washed away or buried as torrents of water, rocks and mud tore through settlements.
The disaster is believed to have been triggered by an ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border, unleashing a massive surge downstream.
Death toll in #Nepal rises to 675.
📌The number of people killed in Nepal has risen to 675, according to the latest release by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Authority (NDRRMA).
📌Officials say at least 2,498 people have been rescued and 219 people have… pic.twitter.com/PNtTiSZIg6
— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) August 29, 2026
287 Indians still missing
The tragedy has also triggered a major rescue effort for Indian nationals caught in the disaster.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said 287 Indian nationals remain unaccounted for, while 88 Indians have so far been rescued. Another 128 people of Indian origin holding foreign nationalities are also reported missing.
Four Indian nationals were rescued from a hydropower project in Nepal’s Rasuwa district on Saturday. Meanwhile, 120 Indian nationals stranded on the Chinese side crossed safely into Nepal.
India has stepped up its assistance to Nepal, deploying specialised teams for rescue operations and forensic experts to help identify unidentified bodies through DNA analysis. A specialised Indian technical team has also begun assisting in tunnel-rescue operations at a hydropower project where people are feared trapped.
Death toll in #Nepal rises to 675.
📌The number of people killed in Nepal has risen to 675, according to the latest release by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Authority (NDRRMA).
📌Officials say at least 2,498 people have been rescued and 219 people have… pic.twitter.com/PNtTiSZIg6
— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) August 29, 2026
Rescue operation enters critical phase
Nepal has mobilised thousands of security personnel for the massive search-and-rescue operation. More than 4,400 people have been rescued or evacuated, but damaged roads and bridges, rugged Himalayan terrain and continuing rainfall are making the operation extremely difficult.
Helicopters are being used to reach isolated settlements, evacuate survivors and deliver food, medicine and other emergency supplies.
The scale of the devastation is becoming clearer with every passing hour. In several areas, entire stretches of settlements have been buried beneath mud, while vehicles and infrastructure lie scattered across riverbeds.
New imagery from @vantortech confirms that the China-Nepal Rasuwagadhi border crossing has been completely destroyed, with the glacial flood completely scouring the valley floor.
At least 359 people are dead and nearly 1,000 missing, according to local authorities. pic.twitter.com/DiBiUzJGtO
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 27, 2026
Fresh flood threat adds to Nepal’s woes
The crisis has been compounded by renewed rainfall and rising water levels, raising fears of further flooding in the Bhotekoshi River basin.
Authorities remain on high alert as rescue teams struggle to reach some of the worst-hit locations. Families of missing people, meanwhile, continue to wait anxiously for information as rescuers search through wreckage and debris.
With hundreds dead, thousands missing and entire communities devastated, Nepal now faces not only a race to save survivors but also a massive challenge of identifying victims, restoring connectivity and rebuilding destroyed infrastructure.
For families in Nepal and India, the search is far from over. Every rescue from the rubble is offering a fragile ray of hope—but the sheer number of people still missing underscores the enormity of the catastrophe.
