On the fifth day of severe flooding in the Himalayan region along the Nepal-China border, authorities from both countries are intensifying search and rescue operations for over 3,000 missing persons.
According to reports from Yonhap News Agency, AP, and EFE, the Nepal Disaster Management Agency has confirmed that the death toll from the floods in Nepal has risen to at least 788, with 2,502 individuals reported missing, including 592 foreigners.
When combined with the figures from Chinese authorities, which report 16 deaths and 546 missing persons (261 foreigners) in the Tibet Autonomous Region, the overall death toll from the floods now stands at a minimum of 804, with 3,048 individuals unaccounted for.
In Nepal, authorities have reported that at least 933 workers are missing from more than 11 hydropower sites in the affected central Bagmati Province. They believe that over 100 individuals may be trapped and alive inside tunnels at the Trishuli 3A and 3B power plants in the Rasuwagadhi area.
In response, Nepal's military rescue teams successfully drilled an entry point into the tunnel at the Trishuli 3A power plant, which had been buried under debris, and began injecting air and deploying cameras to assess the situation.
On the same day, the rescue teams utilized heavy machinery, including drills, excavators, and hydraulic cutters, to create four openings in the tunnel and successfully entered the interior using ropes, as confirmed by Nepal's Ministry of Energy.
The teams are currently working to determine the condition, location, and safety of those trapped inside.
The Prime Minister's Office of Nepal stated, "The rescue team called out to the individuals inside the tunnel using ropes, but there was no response."
Meanwhile, the Nepalese government estimates that recovery efforts from the floods will require approximately $4 billion to $5 billion, a sum that could represent nearly 10% of the country's total economic output. Minister Kanak Mani Dixit noted, "We plan to establish a recovery plan after assessing the extent of the damage, but we are first seeking support from the international community."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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