Kathmandu, Aug 29: The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 675 on Saturday, with more bodies being recovered on Saturday even as more than 2,400 people still remained missing following the disaster.
Bodies were recovered from all eight affected districts as search and rescue operations continued on war footing, Nepal police said.
An ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a torrent of water, mud and debris downstream wiping out towns and villages, damaging crucial infrastructure and washing away hydropower stations through central Nepal on Wednesday.
So far, 675 bodies of the Bhote Koshi flood victims have been recovered from eight districts, according to a statement by Nepal Police.
The rescuers have recovered 246 bodies from Chitawan, 165 from Nawalparasi East, 63 from Nawalparasi West and 57 from Gorkha, it said.
Similarly, 45 bodies were recovered from Dhading district, 51 from Nuwakot, 35 from Tanahu and 13 from Rasuwa district.
More than 2,400 people remained missing as of Saturday.
Nearly 2,500 people, including 163 foreigners, were evacuated as rescue teams led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) raced against time amid on-and-off rainfall in the flood-affected regions.
More than 11,000 security personnel, including over 5,000 Nepal Army personnel, have been mobilised for search and rescue operations.
The NDRRMA, in a statement, urged people not to fly drones in the flood affected area, where search and rescue operations are being carried out.
“Our attention has been drawn that there are reports about flying drone by some individuals and organisations without the permission from the local administration at a time when rescue and relief works are in progress,” it said.
The Authority warned of legal action if the law is breached.
