Hopes of finding survivors among thousands of people missing in Nepal are fading, authorities said Wednesday, one week after a glacier collapse in the Himalayas triggered devastating flash floods.
At least 1,050 people have died in the disaster, while nearly 4,000 others remain unaccounted for. Officials fear many of those missing may be trapped beneath debris swept through towns and valleys close to the Chinese border.
Across the border in Tibet, China’s official figures remained unchanged on Sunday, with 16 deaths recorded and 546 people still missing.
Phanindra Paudel, a senior official at Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Center, said the chances of finding survivors were diminishing.
“The hope of finding survivors is decreasing,” Paudel said, while stressing that rescuers remained hopeful.
Search teams are also focusing on tunnels at several hydroelectric power plants, where survivors may have taken shelter. Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said the facilities contain rooms and other spaces where workers can stay.
Authorities said 279 people had so far been rescued from damaged hydropower projects, while another 639 remained missing. Some are believed to be trapped inside tunnels.
Binoj Basnet, a retired senior army general who coordinated search and rescue operations following Nepal’s 2015 earthquake, said the chances of survival were becoming slimmer as time passed.
“Looking at the nature of the disaster and the area that has been hit by the flood, as days go by, there are less chances of human survivors,” he said.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah said the government was beginning to shift its attention from immediate search and rescue efforts to rehabilitation and reconstruction.
He said the government was also working to protect residents in affected communities while providing medical care and psychological support.
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The scale of destruction has been enormous. A preliminary estimate by the United Nations Development Programme put the amount of debris left behind at about 2.2 million tonnes, including building materials, rocks and sediment. The UNDP compared the volume to roughly six Empire State Buildings.
“The amount of debris shows the scale of the destruction and the challenge communities face as they clear homes, roads and public spaces and begin to rebuild,” the agency said.
The United Nations Warns of Growing Public Health Concerns
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said aid agencies were particularly worried about overcrowded shelters, contaminated water supplies and damaged health facilities, with women and children facing additional risks during the monsoon season.
According to Dujarric, about 3,900 people remained unaccounted for, while nearly 3,500 people were staying at 27 displacement sites in the worst-hit districts of Nuwakot and Rasuwa.
Prime Minister Shah said authorities had intensified disease surveillance and response measures to prevent possible outbreaks in communities affected by the floods.
The disaster has also renewed concerns about the vulnerability of the Himalayan region to future glacial floods.
A senior UN official warned Tuesday that the region faces serious risks from similar disasters in the future.
Prime Minister Shah called for further investigation into the collapse, including what caused the ice and rock to give way and how such a huge volume of water was released.
China has also linked the flooding to climate change.
Source: The Japan Times
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.