Floods in Nepal and Tibet: over 633 dead and nearly 3,000 missing
The search efforts are being further complicated by the risk of further flooding. On Friday, the Nepalese authorities warned that some of the lakes formed as a result of the landslide that caused the flooding could burst their banks, sending more water into the valleys
The death toll from the catastrophic floods that struck Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday continues to rise. In Nepal, 626 people have died and over 2,400 are missing, whilst the Chinese authorities have reported seven deaths and more than 550 people missing on the Tibetan side.
Three days after the disaster, rescue teams are continuing to search for survivors along some 80 kilometres of devastated valleys, whilst the number of people still unaccounted for continues to rise.
In Nepal, the number of people reported missing has risen sharply since Friday. According to the authorities, the companies operating the hydroelectric power stations have only in the last few hours reported the number of workers who are unaccounted for at construction sites in the affected valleys.
The first 48–72 hours following a natural disaster are generally the crucial period for finding survivors. However, rescue operations are hampered by the destruction of long stretches of road and damage to communications networks, which make it difficult to reach isolated areas and distribute food, medicines and temporary shelter.
The search efforts are being further complicated by the risk of further flooding. On Friday, the Nepalese authorities warned that some of the lakes formed following the landslide that triggered the flooding could burst their banks, sending more water into the valleys.
