South AsiaLiveNepal floods: Toll reaches 626; India sends another aircraft with 10 tonnes of aid

Nepal is facing one of its worst natural disasters over recent years after devastating flash floods swept through areas along the Bhote Koshi river near the Nepal-China border on August 26, killing hundreds of individuals and leaving hundreds more missing.

Key points

• The pilgrims were subsequently brought from Sitamarhi to Patna at around 2: 30 am on August 29.
• It connects Bihar and Nepal, had fluctuated earlier, reaching 1, 02, 100 cusecs on Friday.
• Nepal Floods: Death toll from flash floods rises to 7 in Tibet; 554 still missing.
• Nepal Floods: Bihar govt rescues 100 Maharashtra pilgrims stranded in Nepal flash floods.
• The Bihar administration additionally coordinated with the Chairman of the Railway Board, New Delhi, to facilitate the pilgrims' return to Maharashtra.

11: 54 (IST) Aug 29.

Notably, the death toll from flash floods in Tibet near the Nepal border has climbed to seven, with 554 individuals still missing as rescue and relief teams intensified efforts in the affected areas, the Tibet emergency management department stated on Saturday. 11: 38 (IST) Aug 29.

Notably, the Bihar administration safely rescued around 100 pilgrims from Maharashtra who were stranded in Kathmandu after flash floods in Nepal and sent them back to their home state by train on Saturday.

Notably, the rescue operation was carried out on the directions of the Bihar Chief Minister and under the supervision of the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary, Disaster Management Department.

After a request from the Maharashtra administration, the Sitamarhi district administration took prompt action on August 28 and safely escorted the pilgrims from the Nepal border to Sitamarhi.

Meanwhile, the district administration created arrangements for food, drinking water and other essential facilities for the pilgrims in Sitamarhi.

Meanwhile, the pilgrims were subsequently brought from Sitamarhi to Patna at around 2: 30 am on August 29. The Patna district administration arranged their stay at OP Sah Community Building, where they were provided food, accommodation, medical check-ups and other necessary facilities during the night.

Meanwhile, the Bihar administration additionally coordinated with the Chairman of the Railway Board, New Delhi, to facilitate the pilgrims' return to Maharashtra.

After the coordination, two further coaches were attached to the Patna-Purna Express to accommodate the pilgrims. 11: 01 (IST) Aug 29. Nepal Floods: Death toll reaches 626 in Nepal flash floods.

In practice, the death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 626 on Saturday, with more bodies being recovered and almost 2, 000 residents still missing after the disaster.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) remarked the bodies were recovered from eight districts of the Himalayan nation.

According to the NDRRMA, 233 bodies were recovered from Chitwan, 158 from Nawalparasi East, 51 from Nuwakot, 48 from Gorkha, 47 from Nawalparasi West, 45 from Dhading, 31 from Tanahu and 13 from Rasuwa.

While leaving almost 2, 000 residents missing, the flash floods swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday, causing loss of life and widespread damage to settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure.

Almost 2, 500 stranded residents have been evacuated by rescue teams in Nepal as search and relief operations continued for a fourth day on Saturday.

On Friday, the NDRRMA remarked rising water levels at the flash flood site climbed the risk of another flood in the area. 10: 54 (IST) Aug 29.

Nepal floods: Kathmandu family travels to flood-hit Trishuli to check on cut-off village.

Against the backdrop of heavy rain and worries over rising floodwaters after the flash floods in Nepal, residents from Kathmandu are travelling to the flood-hit Trishuli region to check on relatives and villages that have been cut off due to damaged roads.

Sabina Sunar, who travelled from Kathmandu with her one-year-old child, another son and her husband, remarked she came to the Trishuli region to see the condition of the road leading towards her village.

Her village, located just beyond Trishuli, remains inaccessible due to road damage. "It's sad; that's why I came to see, " she informed ANI, adding that, "Our village is from here, to see the road."

Her husband, Rajendra Sunar, remarked the family decided to travel to the area on a holiday to see the situation firsthand after watching updates concerning the floods on mobile phones and television.

He remarked their village, located around 26 km away towards Dhading, remains cut off due to the damaged road.

"We came to see how things are here, what's happening. Various things are coming on mobile and TV, so since it's a holiday today, we came to see properly what's going on. That's why we came to see, " he said, adding that "phones aren't working (in the village) since there's no electricity to charge. But everyone is safe." 10: 33 (IST) Aug 29.

Nepal Floods: Dearth of space in morgues as death toll continues to rise after Nepal-Tibet flash flood.

As the bodies of the victims swept away by the Bhotekoshi flood are being dumped downstream, hospitals are struggling to find places to store and identify them.

In practice, the Himalayan nation only has the capacity to store regarding 350 bodies in morgues nationwide. It has led to a shortage of space to store the bodies until the families identify and claim them.

For context, the remains of victims swept away by floods from Rasuwa and Nuwakparasi are being recovered in Nuwakot and downstream up to Chitwan, Tanahun, Nawalparasi and low-lying areas.

Notably, the district of Chitwan has already been filled with the bodies of victims swept downstream. It has prompted authorities to set up temporary facilities. Along with this, hospitals in Pokhara have additionally noted that their morgues are filling up after bodies began arriving from a number of districts.

"All of the bodies are being recovered from the river by deploying the police team. We first retrieve the bodies from the river, we take close-up photos of the bodies, if the body is not clear, then we first clean the bodies and then keep it in the body bag and tag it and bring it to this temporary body management location. Here we are maintaining the room temperature at zero degrees in the AC. We have been doing it since there is a challenge in identifying the bodies of the victims. If some of the relatives of the missing persons would come to inquire, then we display the photos of the recovered bodies. If they identify the bodies of their missing relatives, then we will hand it over after completing the procedures, " Rameshwor Paudel, Superintendent of Nepal Police, informed ANI.

Gandak Barrage in Bihar's West Champaran level normal against the backdrop of downstream worries after Nepal floods.

Against the backdrop of growing worries over downstream water flows after the devastating flash floods in Nepal, the water level at the Gandak Barrage in West Champaran remained within the normal range at 97, 500 cusecs on Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, the water level at the Valmikinagar Barrage. It connects Bihar and Nepal, had fluctuated earlier, reaching 1, 02, 100 cusecs on Friday. Authorities have continued to monitor the situation closely in view of the flood situation in Nepal and its potential impact on downstream areas in Bihar.

Bihar Minister Nand Kishor Ram additionally visited the barrage earlier and reaffirmed that the state administration was fully prepared to accord with any eventuality.

"It was discovered that there is immense pressure on the Gandak Barrage. I have instructed all deployed authorities to remain fully alert and prepared; the administration is completely ready. The administration remains deeply serious and committed to the task, " he remarked.

Meanwhile, the situation has prompted heightened vigilance in Bihar after devastating flash floods in Nepal triggered by a massive surge in the Bhote Koshi River. The floods have caused loss of life, displacement and extensive damage to infrastructure, including homes, roads, bridges and hydropower facilities.

Meanwhile, the disaster in Nepal has prompted heightened vigilance in neighbouring Indian states, particularly along river systems connected to Nepal. Authorities in Bihar have been monitoring water levels and downstream flows as agencies continue to assess the situation.

Administration agencies and diplomatic channels are additionally continuing efforts to trace missing Indian nationals who may have been affected by the floods in Nepal.

Taken together, the developments around south AsiaLiveNepal floods: Toll reaches 626; India sends another aircraft with 10 point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.