Nepal flood and landslide death toll rises to 1,331 as rescue teams battle debris

Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain across Nepal have killed 1,331 people, with rescue teams continuing to search for survivors in several affected areas.

The death toll was revised down from 1,344 reported in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority's (NDRRMA) noon update on Saturday. Nepal Police had earlier put the toll at 1,341.

Rescue operations remained underway on Saturday, with teams managing to pull a Chinese national to safety from an audit tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 1 Hydropower Project. A 64-year-old woman was also rescued from Betrawati in Nuwakot.

Indian and Nepalese personnel are meanwhile continuing operations inside the Chilime Tunnel, where heavy debris, water and mud have hampered efforts to reach people still believed to be trapped.

The Indian Embassy in Nepal said its rescue team was working alongside the Nepal Army to clear the tunnel.

"Take a look at the ongoing rescue operations being carried out by the Indian rescue team in close coordination with the Nepal Army, inside the Chilime Tunnel," the embassy said in a post on X. It added that the joint teams were working through heavy debris, water and mud.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said rescue teams were clearing the accumulated material to create enough space for heavy machinery to enter the deeper sections of the tunnel.

He said an access road was also being constructed from Syafrubesi to the tunnel entrance so that an excavator could be transported to the site.

"Given the difficult terrain and narrow valley, heavy helicopter usage is not possible," Srivastava said in a post on X.

India has also stepped up humanitarian assistance following the floods. The Ministry of External Affairs said New Delhi had so far sent around 95 tonnes of relief material to Nepal through seven aircraft, along with 54 specialised personnel involved in rescue, forensic and medical operations.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the assistance was being provided according to the requirements communicated by the Nepal government.

The personnel deployed by India include 30 tunnel rescue specialists, 19 forensic experts and a five-member medical team. Indian rescue and forensic teams are working with Nepalese authorities on the ground.

Jaiswal said India would send additional supplies in the coming days, including forensic kits, Bailey bridges and other materials requested by the Nepalese government.

The large-scale rescue effort comes as several parts of Nepal continue to deal with the aftermath of the floods and landslides, with authorities working to locate missing people and reach areas cut off by damaged roads and debris.