Nepal has raised the number of people reported missing after the August 26 floods to 6,150, adding nearly 1,000 names after authorities rechecked records from affected districts.
The revision came as rescue teams recovered 10 bodies from two hydropower project tunnels in Rasuwa, underscoring the scale of the disaster three weeks after the floods.According to Nepal’s disaster management authority, 1,403 people have been confirmed dead in the country.
The disaster has also affected Tibet, where 43 deaths and 519 missing people have been reported. Combined, the disaster has left at least 1,446 people dead and 6,669 missing across Nepal and Tibet. At least 189 Indians are among those still unaccounted for.
Bodies Recovered from Tunnels
Five bodies were recovered from the Chilime hydropower project and another five from the Upper Trishuli-1 project. Rescue workers, including specialised Indian Army personnel and Nepali teams, reached underground areas by clearing debris and digging through the final stretch by hand.
The tunnel searches have been difficult because of thick mud, large rocks, frozen water and damaged infrastructure. Nepal has also received support from rescue teams and specialised equipment as authorities continue searching several hydropower facilities.
Families Await Answers
The latest figures follow earlier updates that put the missing number at around 5,100. Authorities have repeatedly warned that the numbers are subject to change as verification continues and unidentified remains are processed.
The disaster has also created an identification challenge. Reuters reported that authorities had collected DNA samples from more than 1,200 bodies and nearly 1,900 relatives of missing people, but only 105 bodies had been identified and returned to families as of September 16.
Search operations continue across mountain communities, river corridors and hydropower sites, while families of missing people press authorities for clearer information and faster identification of remains.