Nepal flash flood death toll rises to 676 as thousands remain missing
- Catastrophic flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse in Nepal have killed at least 676 people, with more than 2,426 missing in Nepal and 550 unaccounted for across the border in Tibet.
- Among those missing are 33 British citizens, leading the UK to dispatch a specialist crisis response team and offer £5m in aid to support the relief effort.
- Overwhelmed authorities and volunteers are struggling to identify bodies and prevent a severe public health crisis as makeshift morgues lack vital refrigeration facilities.
- Nepal’s government estimates reconstruction costs could reach up to $5bn and has appealed for international technical assistance, DNA testing support, and body storage.
- Nepalese foreign minister Shisir Khanal urged the international community to unite against climate change, highlighting that the Himalayan region is warming five times faster than the global average.
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