Nepal Death Toll Goes Over 500
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| The Nepali police warned people to head for safety because more water could soak flood-ravaged villages. China said that the risk of a Tibetan lake overflowing had “gradually decreased.” |
Here’s the latest.
Fears of more flooding on Friday clouded the desperate search for survivors of the Himalayan deluge, as the authorities in Nepal warned that more water could rush into ravaged valleys along the Chinese border where more than 1,000 people are thought to be missing.
Nepali officials did not say what could cause the new flooding, but China sought to allay concerns, with the state broadcaster saying that the risk of a barrier lake in Tibet bursting had “gradually decreased.” The lake had been formed by a landslide and glacier collapse on Wednesday that unleashed a torrent of mud and debris, killing hundreds of people in Nepal and sweeping away entire communities.
The threat of new floods complicated challenging rescue operations. Nepal’s disaster management authority urged emergency workers to move to safety immediately “if risk is observed.” In Trishuli, a Nepali police officer rode through town on a motorcycle urging people to get to higher ground, prompting dozens to seek safety inside a temple compound.
More than 30,000 Nepali security forces have been deployed for the relief mission, according to the United Nations. On Friday, Nepal Army personnel took many rescued people to barracks on the banks of the Trishuli River, where New York Times reporters saw many jostling to see if they recognized names on printed lists of survivors.
The Nepali authorities said that more than 3,700 people had been rescued so far, and released footage showing uniformed personnel pulling people by hand through a river of mud. Officials said they had been trapped in a tunnel that is part of a hydroelectric project that had been under construction.
Some 93,000 people in Nepal are in need of support, the International Federation of the Red Cross said in a preliminary assessment.
The 48 to 72 hours after natural disasters is typically a critical window for finding survivors. But the devastation left many miles of roads unusable and damaged communications infrastructure, making it harder for rescuers and aid organizations to locate people and deliver food, medicine and temporary shelters.
Crews trying to reach some of the affected areas would need to carve new roads through the muddy wasteland, said Keshav Sharma, who until recently led Nepal’s infrastructure and transport ministry.
Here’s what else we are covering:
Death toll: Over 500 people have been confirmed killed in Nepal, according to the country’s police force. The Chinese authorities on Friday announced that five people had died in Tibet and that 558 remained missing. Read more ›
Nepal’s response: The Nepali government has said it does not need foreign help for search and rescue operations. Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri, the spokesman for the foreign ministry, said the country was instead seeking help for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Fast waters: Survivors in Nepal described high floodwaters laden with debris that shattered houses and swallowed people as they fled. Nepal’s flood warning system was ill-equipped to sufficiently alert people. Read more ›
Global warming: Climate change is heating up the Himalayas and supercharging the risk of disasters like the deadly flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet, though scientists are still determining the exact cause of this week’s catastrophe. Read more›
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