Nepal’s devastating flash floods have claimed 1,369 lives, while 5,132 people, including 587 foreign nationals, remain missing, according to the latest figures released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

As search and recovery operations continued across the affected areas, India stepped up its humanitarian assistance, with an eighth Indian Air Force flight carrying relief and rescue supplies arriving in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Deaths Reported Across Eight Districts

In its Rasuwa Flood: Search, Rescue and Relief Update issued at 6 pm local time on Wednesday, the NDRRMA said Chitwan had recorded the highest number of deaths at 363.

The death toll stood at 227 in Nawalparasi East, 222 in Nawalparasi West, 198 in Nuwakot, 174 in Rasuwa, 75 in Gorkha, 70 in Dhading and 38 in Tanahun. Two other people died while undergoing treatment in Kathmandu.

The authority said 13,646 people had been rescued so far as search teams continued operations in areas severely affected by the flooding.

More Than 5,000 People Still Missing

A total of 5,132 people remain unaccounted for, including 587 foreign nationals, the NDRRMA said. The revised figure takes into account the identification of 102 bodies, which were subsequently removed from the list of missing persons.

Rasuwa accounts for a significant proportion of those still missing. The district has reported 1,393 missing residents and 1,286 missing people from other districts.

The missing in Rasuwa also include 45 Nepali Army personnel, 25 Nepal Police personnel, 12 members of the Armed Police Force, 73 government officials and 26 employees of banks and financial institutions.

In neighbouring Nuwakot, 651 residents and 1,136 people from other districts remain missing, according to the latest disaster management authority update.

Hospitals Continue To Treat Hundreds Of Injured

The disaster has also left hundreds requiring medical care. The NDRRMA said 333 injured people were undergoing treatment at 19 hospitals, while 256 had been discharged.

Medical teams from Nepal’s security forces have also been involved in treating those affected by the floods. The Nepali Army has provided medical assistance to 3,535 people, while the Armed Police Force has treated 3,606 people.

Authorities are simultaneously continuing search, rescue, medical treatment, recovery and identification operations as the scale of the disaster continues to emerge.

India Sends More Than 130 Tonnes Of Relief Supplies

India has continued to expand its humanitarian support for Nepal, with its eighth special Indian Air Force flight arriving in Kathmandu on Wednesday carrying relief and rescue material.

The Ministry of External Affairs said India had accelerated the delivery of humanitarian supplies, specialised equipment and expert personnel through eight special flights since August 26. More than 130 tonnes of relief material have been sent to Nepal during this period.

India has also deployed 54 expert personnel to assist Nepal in rescue, relief and forensic operations, according to a statement issued by the MEA on Wednesday.

The assistance includes temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and medicines, as well as specialised equipment needed for tunnel and mud rescue operations, DNA profiling and other emergency requirements.

Specialised Rescue Equipment Sent For Difficult Operations

Among the equipment supplied by India are mud rescue suits, gas detectors, breathing apparatus and inflatable walkways. DNA kits, reagents and other equipment required for DNA profiling have also been sent.

India has additionally provided portable generators, lighting towers and dewatering pumps to support operations in areas affected by the floods.

A specialised Indian tunnel rescue team initially began work alongside the Nepali Army at two locations, Chilime and Langtang. The search operation is now focused on Chilime.

The MEA said the operation at Chilime has been complicated by difficult terrain, limited access and the slope of the tunnel.

“The Indian tunnel rescue team has been persistent in its work and ensured good progress with manual efforts and the use of innovative techniques,” the MEA said.

Makeshift Route Being Built To Bring In Heavy Machinery

Efforts are under way to speed up the rescue operation by constructing a makeshift path that will allow heavy equipment, including an excavator, to reach the tunnel site.

According to the MEA, work on the track is progressing encouragingly and is expected to be completed within another two to three days.

India’s forensic experts are meanwhile working alongside Nepalese authorities at two laboratories in Kathmandu, where DNA samples are being examined and analysed to help identify victims.

The forensic laboratory equipment, DNA kits and reagents supplied by India are expected to support Nepal’s continuing identification efforts.

India Pledges Continued Support To Nepal

The latest consignment is part of a broader Indian relief effort launched after the floods struck Nepal in the last week of August. The assistance has included rescue teams, specialised equipment, medicines, forensic supplies and essential relief material.

The MEA said India remained committed to extending all possible assistance to the people and Government of Nepal and would continue supporting the country’s rescue, relief and recovery operations.

The latest NDRRMA figures underline the enormous scale of the disaster, with thousands still missing even as rescue teams, medical personnel and forensic experts continue work across Nepal’s flood-hit regions.

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