The Nepal Police announced on Sunday that the death count from the August 26 flash floods has climbed to 1,451, and 6,000 residents remain unaccounted for.
The deluge began near the Nepal‑Tibet border, where the Bhotekoshi River surged downstream, sweeping villages, homes, vehicles and critical infrastructure—such as hydropower projects—in a matter of minutes.
Recovered bodies number 1,451, with Chitwan district accounting for 367, Rasuwa 236, Nawalparasi East 232, Nawalparasi West 222, Nuwakot 203, Gorkha 79, Dhading 72, and Tanahu 38, according to police records.
Rescuers are using grinders, gas cutters and rotary equipment to extract victims from the Upper Trishuli‑1 hydropower tunnel; eight bodies have been temporarily buried after DNA sampling, and only 110 have been identified and returned to families.
A child’s pair of shoes, covered in mud, was found at Uttargaya Public School, and families in Nuwakot are waiting in the hospital corridor for news of their loved ones as they grapple with shattered homes and blocked roads.
The government plans to deploy additional drones and forensic teams to clear debris from tunnels and riverbeds, with a national emergency response scheduled to intensify next week.