Rasuwa disaster: 165 bodies recovered, 579 travelers missing

At least 165 bodies have been recovered from areas affected by flooding in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers in Rasuwa and surrounding districts, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

The recovered bodies include 27 in Dhading, 12 in Nuwakot, two in Rasuwa, 20 in Gorkha, 26 in Nawalparasi East, nine in Tanahun, 64 in Chitwan and five in Nawalparasi West.

NDRRMA spokesperson Shanti Maharjan said 44 Nepal Army personnel, 28 Nepal Police personnel and 13 Armed Police Force personnel working in flood-affected areas remain out of contact.

A total of 123 people have so far been airlifted from Timure in flood-hit Rasuwa, including 94 Nepali nationals and 29 foreign nationals, according to the authority.

Meanwhile, preliminary data from the Nepal Tourism Board shows that 579 travelers: 466 foreign nationals and 113 Nepali citizens, are reported missing from the affected areas.

The floods have also caused extensive damage to infrastructure, with 35 motorable bridges, 45 suspension bridges and approximately 40 kilometers of roads damaged.

“Search and rescue operations are continuing in the affected areas, while efforts are underway to collect detailed information on the human and physical losses caused by the floods,” spokesperson Maharjan said.

Authorities continue to assess the scale of the disaster as search, rescue and recovery operations remain underway.