Nepal-Tibet floods LIVE: Death toll hits 616; Trishuli rescue ops suspended amid heavy rain

At least 616 people have died and 2,478 remain missing after devastating floods swept through the mountainous region along the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, with search and rescue operations continuing amid fears of further flooding.

Nepal has asked India and China to provide Bailey bridges to restore connectivity after the floods destroyed or damaged roads and bridges across the Himalayan region, Foreign Minister said, according to Reuters.

The disaster has also left 320 Indians uncontactable in Nepal, while around 400 Indians stranded in Tibet have been traced and confirmed safe, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. Another 100 people of Indian origin holding other nationalities remain uncontactable.

India steps up rescue efforts

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 153 Indians stranded in Tibet had safely crossed into Nepal, while 21 Indians rescued from flood-hit areas reached New Delhi on Friday.

India has dispatched 57.5 tonnes of emergency supplies to Nepal in three military aircraft since Wednesday. It has also deployed an 11-member team of doctors and paramedics along with a reconnaissance team.

New Delhi has offered Bailey bridges and technical teams to help Nepal restore damaged connectivity, as well as National Disaster Response Force teams and equipment for search and rescue operations.

15,000 personnel deployed

Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah said more than 15,000 security personnel had been mobilised for rescue operations. He rejected reports that Nepal had refused foreign assistance, saying the government was coordinating with India, China and other countries.

Rescue teams continue to search for people trapped inside tunnels and hydropower projects, while authorities are working to repair damaged bridges and reopen roads.

The floods have severely disrupted Nepal’s hydropower sector, with eight projects reported damaged or affected. At the Trishuli-1 hydropower project, emergency teams airlifted more than 300 people who had been trapped.

New lake raises fresh flood fears

Rescue efforts have been complicated by unstable terrain and the formation of a large lake near the Rasuwagadhi border crossing after debris blocked the Lhende River.

China’s Ministry of Water Resources said the barrier lake had accumulated around 2 million cubic metres of water by Thursday morning and could gain another 3 million cubic metres within three days, raising concerns over another surge downstream.

What caused the Nepal floods?

Seismic and satellite assessments indicate that the disaster was triggered by the collapse of a glacier and underlying rock, generating a 5.2-magnitude seismic event. The resulting surge of water, ice, rock and mud swept through settlements, destroying homes, roads and bridges.

The Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers remain under close watch as authorities warn of the possibility of further flooding.

Nepal Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle said the country could require at least several billion dollars for reconstruction after the disaster destroyed roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.