Nepal floods leave 165 dead, 826 missing

At least 165 bodies have been recovered and 826 people remain missing following devastating floods in Nepal, local media reported Thursday. Authorities said search and rescue teams are still working to reach isolated communities.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the floods have caused massive damage to transport infrastructure. The floods damaged 35 motorable bridges, 45 suspension bridges and around 40 km of paved roads across various districts, it said.

Bodies recovered so far come from several districts including Chitwan, Dhading, Nawalparasi East, Gorkha, Nuwakot, Tanahun, Rasuwa, and Nawalparasi West.

The authority also said that 73 people have been injured. The missing include 579 tourists, 466 foreigners and 113 Nepalis, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. This number is being constantly updated, it said. Security personnel were among the missing: 44 from the Nepal Army, 28 from the Nepal Police, and 13 from the Armed Police Force.

A total of 123 people, including 94 Nepalis and 29 foreigners, have been rescued by helicopter from Timure in Rasuwa district.

The operations are taking place amidst damaged roads, bridges, and communication systems. “The full scale of the disaster is still being assessed,” officials warned.