Nepal flash floods LIVE updates: Death toll rises to 626, over 2,400 still unaccounted for

Death toll from flash floods rises to 7 in Tibet; 554 still missing

The death toll from flash floods in Tibet near the Nepal border has climbed to seven, with 554 people still missing as rescue and relief teams intensified efforts in the affected areas, the Tibet emergency management department said on Saturday.

The flash floods hit Gyirong County in the Tibet Autonomous Region on Wednesday, sweeping through villages and towns near the border area with Nepal.

The death toll in the region has risen to seven, while 554 people are still missing, Tibet's emergency management department said.

Among the missing, 260 have been identified as foreign nationals but their nationalities have not been released yet.

Chinese officials said on Friday more than 1,000 people, including 555 tourists and 499 locals, were evacuated from Gyirong County.

No tourist remains stranded in the area now, the official media reported.

3 bodies recovered from river in UP's Kushinagar

Three bodies were recovered from the Gandak river in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district after they apparently drifted into Indian territory from Nepal amid the devastating floods in the neighbouring country, officials said on Saturday.

The bodies were spotted near barrage pier number 3 in the Madanpur-Sukrauli area of Khadda on Friday, following which police and administrative officials reached the spot and began efforts to ascertain their identities, they said.

Khadda SHO Sandeep Singh said the bodies were spotted floating in the river by monitoring teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and subsequently taken out.

The information about the recovered bodies had been shared with authorities in the neighbouring districts of Nepal to help establish their identities.

The bodies could not be identified immediately.

Tearful embraces, hushed prayers mark scene as Nepal flood survivors arrive in Chennai

Tearful embraces, hushed prayers, and narrow escape marked the scene at the airport here as the Nepal flood survivors arrived safely.

21 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, caught in the jaws of catastrophic disaster in Nepal, set foot on home soil, carrying with them memories of horror and astonishment of having survived.

The group was part of a larger contingent undertaking the sacred Kailash Manasarovar Yatra when tragedy struck on August 26. A sudden, violent burst of flash floods and massive landslides tore through the mountainous Rasuwagadhi region near the Nepal-China border, transforming a serene spiritual journey into a desperate fight for life.

"It felt like a tsunami falling from the mountains," said one survivor, trembling as she embraced her weeping family. "Within seconds, the water swept away everything. The entire market area in Timure disappeared right before our eyes," she said.

India rushes 62-tonne aid to Nepal

India has sent 62 tonnes of emergency relief supplies to Nepal after devastating flash floods struck the Himalayan nation on Wednesday, becoming the first major country to physically deliver humanitarian assistance following the disaster.

The swift response has highlighted India’s “first responder” role in the region, with the country having provided emergency assistance during disasters in several countries in recent years. Read the full story here.

Kharge writes to PM for rescue, evacuation of Indians stranded in flood-hit Nepal

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to intensify rescue and evacuation efforts for all Indians stranded in flood-hit Nepal and arrange for their safe return to India.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Kharge also urged him to ensure that adequate assistance is provided to the affected people of Nepal in coordination with the their government.

Expressing concern over the devastating floods in the neighbouring country, he said they caused widespread loss of life and property.

Citing recent media reports, he said more than 500 people have lost their lives, and nearly 1,000 people are still missing.

The disaster has left thousands of people in dire urgent need of food, medicines, shelter and other essential assistance, he noted.

"I request you to ensure that adequate humanitarian and relief assistance is provided to the affected people of Nepal in coordination with the Government of Nepal.

"I am also concerned about the Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin who are stranded in different parts of Nepal due to the floods. It is requested that requisite directions are issued to the concerned authorities to intensify rescue and evacuation efforts and make all necessary arrangements for their safe and early return to India," the Congress chief said.

Nepal asks India, China for Bailey bridges after floods damage roads, bridges

Nepal has sought Bailey bridges from India and China to restore connectivity after devastating floods damaged roads and bridges across the Himalayan region, Nepal’s foreign minister said, according to Reuters.

A Bailey bridge is a temporary, prefabricated structure made primarily from steel panels that can be assembled quickly at the site.

Such bridges are particularly useful in the aftermath of floods, earthquakes and landslides, when permanent bridges are destroyed or severely damaged.

For Nepal, Bailey bridges could provide a quick way to reconnect isolated areas, allowing vehicles, rescue teams and relief supplies to cross rivers and damaged stretches of roads.

No update on group of 77 pilgrims of Isha Foundation missing in Tibet

There has been no update on the whereabouts of a group of 77 pilgrims from the Isha Foundation that went missing after a massive flash flood struck areas near the China-Nepal border two days ago, the group’s coordinator said on Friday.

The 77-member group, led by Isha Foundation, an organisation founded by Indian spiritual leader Jaggi Vasudev, Sadhguru, has remained out of contact.

Maa Gambhiri, a coordinator at the group, told PTI that Sadhguru wanted to visit Gyirong, the ground zero of the disaster, to help but did not get the necessary approval.

She said they had participants from 19 nationalities and they reached out to every embassy in India, China and Nepal to get all the support they could. She said they also reached out to various offices and ministries in India and Nepal to get any information and help.

"There has been no update on the 77 missing Isha Foundation pilgrims for the last two days. The rescue teams are on the ground but there is still no information yet,” she said.

“There are 77 families waiting desperately for the answers. It is an emotional turmoil for them," she added.

Nepal tightens rules for foreign journalists covering devastating floods

Nepal has introduced new requirements for foreign journalists reporting on the devastating floods, making it mandatory for international correspondents to obtain a permit before covering the disaster from affected areas.

Journalists will have to submit documents including their passports and visas, organisation-issued identity cards, a reference letter from their foreign office or embassy in Nepal, as well as details of their salary and benefits.

Applications must be submitted online, after which journalists are required to visit the Department of Information in person to collect their reporting certificate and ID card, according to The Kathmandu Post.

11-member Indian team arrives in Nepal to assist in flood operations

An 11-member Indian team arrived in Nepal on Saturday to assist local authorities following flash floods that killed more than 500 people and left nearly 2,000 others missing.

The team, which includes medical personnel and tunnel rescue experts, was sent at the request of the Nepal government, according to Indian embassy sources.

The team is being sent to areas affected by the flash floods in the Himalayan nation, where rescue and relief operations are being carried out on an immense level.