KATHMANDU, Aug 29: The death toll from devastating flash floods in central Nepal rose to 626 on Saturday as rescue teams continued recovering bodies and searching for nearly 2,000 people reported missing.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said the fatalities had been recorded across eight districts affected by the disaster.
Chitwan reported the highest number of recovered bodies at 233, followed by Nawalparasi East with 158. Authorities also recovered 51 bodies in Nuwakot, 48 in Gorkha, 47 in Nawalparasi West, 45 in Dhading, 31 in Tanahu and 13 in Rasuwa.
The floods struck Rasuwa and other areas of central Nepal on Wednesday, causing extensive destruction to residential areas and critical infrastructure. Roads, bridges and hydropower facilities were among the assets damaged by the sudden surge of water.
With thousands still unaccounted for, emergency teams have continued search and rescue operations across the affected regions.
Nearly 2,500 people who became stranded because of the floods have been evacuated so far, according to officials. Relief and rescue operations entered their fourth day on Saturday as teams worked to reach isolated communities.
The scale of the disaster has complicated efforts to locate missing residents, with damaged roads and infrastructure making access to some affected areas difficult.
Authorities are also monitoring water levels at locations hit by the flooding. The NDRRMA warned on Friday that rising water levels at the site had created the possibility of another flood, adding to concerns for residents and rescue personnel operating in vulnerable areas.
Emergency agencies have been coordinating evacuation, relief distribution and search operations while assessing damage caused by the disaster.
The continuing recovery of bodies means the death toll could rise further, while the large number of missing people remains the biggest concern for families and authorities.
Officials are expected to continue search operations and closely monitor flood-prone areas as relief efforts progress across central Nepal.