SRINAGAR: At least 584 people were killed and 2,482 remained missing across Nepal and Tibet by Friday evening following the Bhote Koshi-Trishuli disaster, as rescue operations were repeatedly disrupted by fresh flooding, avalanches and concerns over unstable upstream lakes, The Guardian reported.
Nepal accounted for 579 deaths and 1,924 missing persons, while Tibet reported five deaths and 558 people missing. The figures remained fluid, with Nepal Police maintaining a higher count of those unaccounted for as searches continued in tunnels and many people remained cut off or out of communication.
Rescue teams on both sides of the border were forced to reassess and temporarily withdraw on Friday after an unstable barrier lake overflowed into the Bhote Koshi river, sending a fresh surge downstream and briefly halting operations. Hours later, another avalanche deposited an estimated 50,000 cubic metres of ice debris in the affected area.
Satellite imagery subsequently showed a further concern, with a second and larger upstream lake continuing to expand and having no visible outlet.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said 320 Indian nationals in Nepal remained “uncontactable” on Friday, up from 290 reported earlier. Around 100 persons of Indian origin holding other nationalities were also out of contact.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the situation as “dynamic” and said Indian authorities were seeking clarity from Nepalese authorities. India had not confirmed any deaths among its nationals by Friday evening.
The ministry said at least 84 Indian nationals had been rescued in Nepal, including 63 workers from the Trishuli-1 project and 21 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu. The group of 21 pilgrims reached Delhi on Friday after being brought out of the affected region to Kathmandu.
“First, good news: 21 Indian nationals who had yesterday arrived in Kathmandu from the area which was affected by the flood have landed in Delhi,” Jaiswal said.
The MEA also said 149 Indian nationals crossed into Nepal from Tibet on Friday, while around 400 others were reported safe on the Chinese side.
In Nepal, the official number of missing persons rose sharply as authorities added fresh lists from devastated settlements, hydropower projects and tourism groups. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 4,451 people had been rescued.
The rapidly changing toll reflected the difficulty of reconciling reports from families, district administrations, employers, tour operators and security agencies as rescuers gained access to areas that had remained inaccessible following the disaster.
