The death toll from devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet has now passed 1,000, nearly a week after the catastrophe struck the Himalayan border region. Nepali rescuers are continuing efforts to reach remote areas and dig through the ruins of hydropower projects, where about 600 people remain trapped.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah stated that over 11,000 people have been rescued across the affected region, and power and communication lines have been restored in some areas. However, 4,400 people are still missing in Nepal and Tibet.
Police in Kathmandu have urged relatives of missing tourists to provide DNA samples and passport-sized photographs to assist with identification. Among the missing are 592 foreigners, including tourists and Hindu pilgrims from countries such as India, the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.
Relatives abroad are requested to undergo DNA profiling at an authorised laboratory and send a soft copy of the DNA profile to Nepal police's official email address. Hundreds of unidentified bodies have already been buried in some flood-affected areas due to decomposition and lack of space in hospitals or morgues.
The disaster was triggered by a glacier collapse, sending ice, rock, and mud through Nepal's border region with China. Prime Minister Shah highlighted the growing risks faced by the Himalayan region due to extreme weather events and climate change.