KATHMANDU — More than 1,118 people have died and over 3,900 remain missing in Nepal following catastrophic floods on Aug. 26. A glacial collapse in the Himalayas triggered the disaster, which swept through valleys and caused rivers to rise rapidly.
Hundreds of the missing are workers in hydropower tunnels, according to officials. Floodwaters carried mud and rocks downstream, destroying homes, buildings, roads and bridges across affected regions.
Nepal's Foreign Ministry said 324 foreign nationals have been rescued since the floods. However, 590 individuals from 39 countries remain unaccounted for.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Wednesday that five more Australians were found safe overnight, reducing the number of missing Australians from 43 to 38. Albanese spoke from Palau, where he is attending a regional summit. Sunil Sharma, a spokesman for the Nepal Tourism Board, said at least five other tourists previously reported missing have contacted authorities by email or telephone in recent days.
In Nuwakot, one of Nepal's hardest-hit districts, families have begun holding symbolic funerals for loved ones presumed dead. This practice aims to liberate the souls of the missing, providing spiritual release within Hindu tradition where cremation is an important final rite.
Mukunda Rijal's family performed a symbolic funeral for his cousins and their daughters, who have not been found. Along the banks of the Trishuli River, a priest placed straw effigies representing the missing, covering them with wood before setting them alight with offerings to Hindu deities.
Authorities are burying recovered bodies in temporary graves for future identification. They are preserving DNA samples, photographing distinguishing facial features and recording other details to match remains with missing persons.
International aid is arriving in Nepal to support rescue and recovery efforts. Rebuilding costs could reach $5 billion, reflecting extensive damage across the country.
On the Chinese side of the border, rescue crews completed a makeshift road to the disaster site at Gyirong Port. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported Wednesday that this road will allow heavy machinery to access the border crossing for search operations.
