KATHMANDU: The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal rose to 270 on Thursday, with rescue teams racing to trace thousands of people still missing, including 288 Indian nationals, in one of the country’s deadliest disasters in recent years.
The floods, triggered by a surge in the Bhotekoshi River, wreaked havoc across three districts on Wednesday, sweeping away homes, infrastructure and vehicles and leaving several areas cut off.
Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said 93 additional bodies had been recovered, taking the confirmed death toll to 270.
According to police, 108 bodies have been recovered in Chitwan, 62 in Nawalparasi East, 27 in Dhading, 20 in Gorkha, 17 in Rasuwa, 15 in Nawalparasi West, 12 in Nuwakot and nine in Tanahun.
More than 800 people, including those injured or stranded in the affected areas, have so far been rescued, Kafle said.
The flash floods were triggered after an avalanche blocked the flow of the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi River. The resulting surge first struck Timure, near the Nepal-China border in the Rasuwagadhi area, before causing widespread destruction downstream.
Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said nearly 300 Indian tourists were among thousands of people reported missing following the disaster.
Khanal also said more than 160 people had died in the Rasuwa region alone and that thousands remained untraced.
The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, meanwhile, said 288 Indians were missing in the Nepal floods.
Rescue and search operations were continuing in the affected areas as authorities worked to locate those still unaccounted for and assess the extent of the destruction.