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Nepal floods: Race to find thousands missing after deadly mudslide — “Nothing is left”

Over 3,000 missing and 682 dead as Nepal battles its worst mudslide disaster. Rescuers race against time while 100 remain trapped in tunnels.

Nepal floods: Race to find thousands missing after deadly mudslide — “Nothing is left”
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In Nepal, a desperate race against time continues to locate thousands of missing persons after a devastating mudslide tsunami swept through areas along the Tibet border, leaving hundreds dead and causing widespread destruction. According to available data from both countries, more than 3,000 people are missing and at least 682 have lost their lives, with reports suggesting that bodies may have been carried as far as India by the force of the floodwaters.

Read: Scenes of biblical destruction in Nepal: At least 22 dead from deadly floods — Hundreds missing (Video)

Nepal floods: Rescuers sink into mud searching for the missing

The conditions under which rescue operations are being carried out are extraordinarily difficult. Rescuer Kawan Koirala, from Nepal’s Scout Disaster Response Team, described how the thick mud “swallows” the legs of those working at the devastated sites.

“People want their family member’s body back, dead or alive, but we can’t find them… you can see the mud,” he told AFP, exhausted after an 18-hour shift.

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“It’s very traumatic for me too. It’s the first time I’ve seen something like this. There’s mud everywhere. We’ve dealt with floods in Nepal before, but never like this,” he added.

Amid the devastation, there have been moments of hope. Videos circulating online show rescuers searching for survivors in the mud, while a particularly emotional rescue — that of a two-year-old child pulled from the rubble — has moved people around the world.

“Every settlement near the river was swept away”

Survivor accounts capture the full scale of the disaster. “Every settlement near the river was swept away,” Budhi Ram Dhangol told AFP in the Nuwakot district. “Nothing is left.”

At the Bidur military base, which has been converted into a primary rescue coordination center, relatives gather around lists of survivors’ names searching desperately for their loved ones. “I came here looking for my son,” said Kalka Sharda. “He was a worker at the hydroelectric plant, but I can’t find his name and the authorities aren’t saying anything.”

Among the missing are 933 workers employed at hydroelectric projects and 517 foreign nationals, including hikers and Hindu pilgrims who were making their way to Mount Kailash in Tibet.

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Up to 93,000 people may have been affected

The Red Cross has described the scale of the disaster as “enormous,” estimating that up to 93,000 people may have been affected, with fears that the death toll will continue to rise. Foreign Minister Sishir Khanal estimated that reconstruction could cost “billions of dollars.”

“The priority is rescue and saving as many lives as possible,” he stressed, calling for specialized international assistance, heavy-lift drones, and technology to locate trapped survivors. He also requested forensic identification kits for the bodies and refrigeration units to preserve them. “Our healthcare capacity is very limited when it comes to keeping these bodies in a frozen state for an extended period,” he said.

Anguish over 100 people trapped in tunnels

Meanwhile, soldiers are working to reach approximately 100 people trapped inside hydroelectric project tunnels. Crews are clearing mud and debris to reopen the entrances, while a specialized rescue unit from India has arrived in the area and a Chinese team is reportedly on its way. Nepal’s experienced mountain rescue teams — veterans of missions on the world’s highest peaks, including Everest — are also taking part in the operations.

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The danger, however, has not passed. The ice and mud flood created large lakes, and one of these formations is considered at risk of triggering a new flood. In Tibet, Chinese authorities have even suspended rescue operations in the heavily affected Gyirong area due to the threat of further flooding.

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