Nepal flood search enters tunnels as 5,130 remain missing

Search operations continued in Nepal on Saturday, more than two weeks after devastating flash floods hit the country, with teams still trying to trace over 5,000 missing people. Authorities said nearly 1,400 people have died, while 13,676 people have been rescued so far.

The floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal. Officials said 5,130 people, including 589 foreign nationals from around 30 countries, remain missing.

The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects. The floods also killed 43 people on the Chinese side, where more than 500 people remain missing, according to Chinese media.

In Nepal, 364 bodies were recovered in Chitwan district alone, the highest among all districts, followed by Nawalparasi East and Nawalparasi West. The remaining bodies were recovered from Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Gorkha, Dhading and Tanahun districts, according to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Search teams have been deployed at several hydropower projects in the flood-hit Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, where large numbers of workers are still unaccounted for. The operations involve the Nepal Army, the Armed Police Force, project personnel and foreign technicians.

At the Chilime Hydropower Project, teams have entered the tunnel and advanced about 115 metres while clearing mud, rocks and other debris. At the Upper Trishuli-1 project, a joint team including foreign technicians has entered about 400 metres into the main access tunnel to search for missing workers, according to the Nepal Army.

Search operations are also continuing at the Rasuwagadhi, Rasuwa Bhotekoshi, Langtang, Trishuli-3A and Upper Trishuli-3B hydropower projects. Officials said the work has been complicated by buried structures, mud and debris inside tunnels, and difficult terrain.

Identifying the dead has emerged as a major challenge. Authorities said only around 100 of the bodies recovered so far have been handed over to families. Officials said many bodies swept downstream were severely damaged, decomposed or recovered only in parts, making identification through faces, clothing or personal belongings difficult.

Forensic experts said prolonged immersion in water and exposure to mud and debris can destroy identifiable features, while some remains may be fragmented or mixed with others. They said DNA testing has become crucial, though the process takes time as it requires samples from the remains and biological relatives for comparison. With thousands still missing, rescue and recovery efforts remain focused on hydropower sites and other flood-hit areas across Nepal.