Rescue efforts continue as Nepal-China flood death toll surpasses 1,270

What the report says

Rescue and recovery operations are continuing in Nepal and across the border in Tibet after devastating flash floods and mudslides that authorities and scientists say were likely triggered by a glacier collapse near Langtang Lirung. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the disaster has killed more than 1,270 people and left more than 4,700 missing. Nepal’s disaster management authority said 1,252 bodies had been recovered, while Chinese authorities in Tibet reported 21 deaths and 541 people missing.

In Nepal, teams are using helicopters, zip lines and heavy equipment to reach isolated villages and to clear mud and debris from hydropower sites where workers are believed trapped, including in tunnels. One of the worst-hit districts is Rasuwa, near the Chinese border, where bulldozers have been working to open access to a tunnel entrance. Families of missing people are gathering daily near hospitals and other search sites as identification efforts continue in Kathmandu.

The United Nations Development Programme estimated the floods and mudflows left at least 2.2 million tonnes of debris. Authorities also said the destruction has created a major rebuilding challenge, with roughly 20,000 homes needing reconstruction, including 7,500 destroyed houses. Officials have said they want to relocate some communities to safer areas rather than rebuild in the same high-risk locations.

Beyond the immediate response, the disaster has intensified Nepal’s calls for international climate support. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said the government has formally asked partners for climate compensation, arguing that vulnerable countries should not bear the cost alone.