750 Dead, Over 3,000 Missing in Nepal-China Floods as Rescue Efforts Intensify

Authorities from both Nepal and China are making all-out efforts in search and rescue operations after a massive flood swept through the Himalayan mountain region along the countries’ border, leaving at least 750 people dead and more than 3,000 missing.

On the 29th (local time), a truck was buried in soil near the road restoration site in Bidur, Nepal. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On August 30 (local time), the fifth day since the flood struck, heavy rain continued, and concerns are mounting over further flooding. In Nepal, rescue teams are working to save survivors, including efforts to drill an access route and inject air into a hydropower plant tunnel where over 100 people are believed to be trapped.

According to the Nepal Disaster Management Authority, as of this day, flooding across the Bagmati Province region in central Nepal has resulted in at least 734 deaths and 2,498 missing. Adding the 16 fatalities and 546 missing reported from the Tibet Autonomous Region in China, the total death toll from this flood stands at a minimum of 750, with 3,044 still missing.

Authorities in Nepal have identified at least 933 workers still unaccounted for at eleven or more hydropower plants. Among them, it is believed that around 100 people could still be alive and trapped within a tunnel.

At the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Plant, a Nepalese military rescue team used a drill to break through the upper part of a tunnel buried by debris the previous night. The team is installing pipes to supply air and deploying cameras to inspect the inside of the tunnel.

However, further heavy rain from early morning on this day has caused setbacks for the rescue mission. The Trishuli River's water level has reportedly risen, flooding the excavation area. Nepalese authorities have warned rescue workers and riverside residents to exercise caution as water volumes increase again.

There are also concerns that the natural dam lakes formed by the flood could collapse. In the Tibet Autonomous Region in China, new landslides have been creating more natural dams, leading to nearby rescue personnel being evacuated.

The South Korean government is also commencing search efforts for nine missing Korean nationals. The joint government rapid response team and Doosan Enerbility plan to dispatch two chartered helicopters as soon as the Nepalese military authorizes helicopter operations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.