The confirmed death toll from the catastrophic flash floods and mudslides that struck the Nepal-China border region last month has risen to 1,453, while 6,664 people remain missing across the two countries, authorities said on Thursday.
Nepal has recorded 1,410 deaths, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. Rescue teams have brought 13,756 people to safety, while another 6,145 remain unaccounted for, including 587 foreign nationals.
On the Chinese side of the border, authorities have reported 43 deaths and 519 people missing. Those unaccounted for include 261 foreign nationals in Tibet, officially designated by Beijing as the Xizang Autonomous Region.
The disaster began on August 26 when a glacier on Nepal’s Mount Langtang Lirung fractured at an altitude of around 5,200 metres (17,060 feet).
The collapse triggered an enormous avalanche of ice and rock that developed into a powerful debris flow, sweeping through valleys along the mountainous frontier.
In Nepal, the resulting floods and mudslides caused widespread destruction in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Kavre districts and affected the Kathmandu Valley.
Across the border, the disaster also buried the Gyirong border crossing in Xizang.
With thousands of people still missing, the scale of the disaster could increase further as search and recovery efforts continue.