Nepali authorities have recovered another 10 bodies from flood-hit communities, pushing the death toll from the devastating floods and mudslides that struck areas along the Nepal-China border late last month to 1,410, according to official statistics released on Wednesday.
The scale of the disaster remains alarming, with more than 5,650 people still reported missing across affected areas in Nepal and China's southwestern Xizang Autonomous Region, also known as Tibet.
Official figures released by authorities in both countries showed that hundreds of foreigners were among those who remain unaccounted for following the deadly natural disaster.
Of the more than 5,650 people still missing, at least 848 are foreigners, highlighting the international dimension of the humanitarian crisis and raising concerns among families and governments seeking information about their citizens.
In Nepal, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that 1,367 bodies have so far been recovered from districts severely affected by flooding and mudslides.
The authority said 5,132 people remain missing in the country, including 587 foreign nationals who were caught in the disaster.
Rescue teams and emergency workers have continued their operations in difficult conditions as they search for survivors and recover victims from areas that were heavily damaged by floodwaters and landslides.
More than 13,600 people have so far been rescued from affected communities in Nepal, demonstrating the massive scale of the ongoing emergency response.
Rescue operations have continued in recent days, with authorities confirming that people were still being evacuated and rescued as recently as last weekend.
The floods and mudslides destroyed infrastructure, damaged communities and complicated access to several affected areas, making rescue and recovery operations particularly challenging.
Authorities have been relying on emergency response teams to reach isolated communities, while efforts have also focused on locating thousands of people who remain missing.
Across the border in China's Xizang Autonomous Region, commonly known as Tibet, the situation remains equally concerning.
Chinese authorities reported that the death toll from massive mudslides in the region remained at 43. However, an estimated 519 people were still missing, including 261 foreigners.
The disaster along the border has therefore created a major humanitarian emergency involving both Nepal and China, with thousands of families still waiting for information about relatives and loved ones.
The large number of missing foreigners has also intensified concerns about the possible involvement of tourists, travellers and other visitors who may have been present in the mountainous region when the disaster struck.
The affected Nepal-China border region is known for its difficult terrain, and severe weather conditions have further complicated search and rescue operations.
As authorities continue recovering bodies and searching through areas affected by floods and mudslides, hopes of finding additional survivors remain a major focus of rescue teams.
Emergency officials are expected to continue assessing the full extent of the destruction as access to more isolated communities improves.
The latest figures underscore the enormous human cost of the disaster, which has become one of the most devastating emergencies to affect the region in recent times.
With more than 1,400 people now confirmed dead and thousands still missing, authorities in Nepal and China face the enormous task of continuing search and recovery efforts while providing assistance to survivors and communities devastated by the catastrophic floods and mudslides.
