Nepal-China Flood Death Toll Hits 633 As Nearly 3,000 Remain Missing

The number of people confirmed dead after severe flash floods along the Nepal-China border has climbed to 633, while almost 3,000 others are still missing.

The disaster occurred on Wednesday when the collapse of a glacier caused a huge rush of water, mud and debris to move through communities in the Himalayan region.

Footage shared from the affected areas showed powerful floodwaters carrying mud and debris through towns and villages.

Bridges, cars and buildings were swept away, while several hydropower facilities and other infrastructure suffered damage.

Rescue efforts in Nepal’s Nuwakot district resumed on Saturday after poor weather forced a temporary suspension of helicopter operations, according to the Associated Press.

Officials said more than 3,700 people have been rescued in Nepal so far.

Helicopters have been used to move survivors to safety and take food and other emergency supplies to communities cut off by the floods.

Nepali army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said rescue workers were using ropes and baskets to reach people trapped by the disaster.

He said the work was difficult because some areas were covered by between 1.2 and 1.5 metres of mud, while there were few suitable places for helicopters to land.

On the Chinese side of the border, state media reported that 554 people were still missing.

Some of those unaccounted for were foreign nationals who had travelled to the region for jobs, trekking or religious pilgrimages.

Authorities are also monitoring the situation for possible additional flooding.

They warned that a lake created in the Himalayan area following the glacier collapse could overflow and cause another surge.

Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has appealed to individuals and organisations for assistance as rescue and relief operations continue.

The agency said charitable groups, development partners, civil society organisations and private companies could help by providing search-and-rescue equipment and relief materials.

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