By: Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
The death toll from catastrophic flash floods and mudslides in Nepal climbed to at least 626 on Saturday, as more than 2,400 people remained missing in the country, including around 90 Americans.
Tragedy Unfolding Along the Border
Rescuers have struggled to reach devastated communities along the Nepal-Tibet border, with the scale of the disaster coming into view four days after the torrent of water, ice and debris swept through Himalayan valleys. The disaster began Wednesday when a massive chunk of ice and rock dozens of times larger than the Empire State Building broke off a mountaintop and triggered the catastrophic flooding. Videos from the hardest-hit border regions showed people running as the debris flow swallowed buildings and vehicles, severed roads, power and communications, and left whole towns gone in minutes.
“Within 20, 30 minutes, the town was gone,” Chris Miller, the Culinary Director of World Central Kitchen, said.
As families wait for news about their relatives, damaged roads, power outages and fears of further flooding have hampered rescue efforts. China has separately reported seven deaths and 554 people missing in its Tibet region, including hundreds of foreigners, with Chinese state media reporting there is no sign of survivors at an engulfed border crossing.
Missing Citizens and Desperate Family Searches
The State Department is not aware of any confirmed American deaths, but the large number of U.S. citizens still unaccounted for has added to the growing uncertainty. Among the missing are Murphy, Texas residents Raghu Rajan and Archana Suresh, whose phones last pinged near a bridge that washed away.
“We know the severity of it, but still, you know, there’s a ray of hope for us to find our loved ones,” Divya Chandrashekar said.
Deepak and Madhu Ahuja, business owners from Plano, Texas, were in the area for a religious journey to Mount Kailash.
“My first reaction was, ‘That cannot be true,’” Sushil Ahuja said. “They went there for a good cause, right? This cannot happen to them.”
Pratik Gautam, a 26-year-old mechanical engineer, uploaded a video of emergency sirens ringing at his hydropower camp just minutes before the flood hit. His brother Prabhav said the family is losing hope.
“The clock is ticking and we haven’t had any kind of information about him,” Prabhav said.
Rescue Operations and Overwhelmed Facilities
On Saturday, helicopters resumed operations in Nepal’s flood-hit Nuwakot district, bringing aid and carrying survivors to safety, while police teams worked alongside dogs to search half-buried houses in Devighat. Scores of bodies recovered along riverbanks have been brought to Pokhara for identification, where police set up a digital display of victim photographs due to advanced decomposition making physical identification difficult.
“It breaks my heart,” a policeman named Krishna said. “We’ve been coming here for three to four days already. My heart breaks that we haven’t been able to find people.”
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal warned that unidentifiable bodies face fast decomposition and requested freezers from foreign governments, while noting that Nepal has sought specialized assistance from neighbors like India and China.
Surviving the Deluge and Rebuilding Risks
Flood survivor Sadip Nepal recounted the terrifying moments when the water rushed into his village.
“I was at the top of the house when I saw the water coming like a tsunami. We ran away. I took only sandals and one T-shirt and ran,” he said, adding that there is no chance he can return to live in his ruined home. “Now we have to start from zero.”
Meanwhile, experts warn of secondary flooding risks. Dr Richard Waller, senior lecturer in physical geography at Keele University, noted that debris accumulations could block tributary valleys and form lakes that might fail catastrophically. The United Nations and international partners have pledged $229 million in support, though Nepal’s finance minister Swarnim Wagle stated the country may need up to $5 billion to rebuild.
Local Resilience and International Solidarity
Amid the profound sorrow and staggering logistical hurdles, local volunteers continue working alongside international relief personnel to distribute emergency provisions, reflecting a collective resilience as the Himalayan nation confronts its most severe climate-induced catastrophe in modern history.
