Hopes of finding more survivors in Nepal are fading one week after a glacier collapse in the Himalayas triggered devastating flash floods.
At least 1,114 people have died, while nearly 3,900 remain unaccounted for. Authorities fear many are buried beneath massive debris across towns and valleys near the Chinese border. In Tibet, China’s official toll remains 16 dead and 546 missing.
“The hope of finding survivors is decreasing,” said Phanindra Paudel of Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Center. “We pray and are hopeful. Hope is hope!”
Rescue teams from Nepal, India, China and the United States are searching hydroelectric plant tunnels where survivors may still be trapped. At least 279 people have been rescued from hydropower projects, while another 639 remain missing.
“The plan today is to get on a helicopter and go to the hydro tunnels where they believe there’s still life,” U.S. crisis response team member Ferrin Cole said. “We have high-technology listening equipment to listen for sounds of life. And then the safety teams to go in and check.”
Focus Shifts to Recovery
Officials say the chances of finding survivors are declining as attention turns toward rehabilitation and reconstruction.
“The government is now focusing on rehabilitation while working to protect the lives of people in the affected areas and providing necessary medical treatment and psychological counselling,” Prime Minister Balendra Shah said.
The disaster generated an estimated 2.2 million tons of debris, according to the UN Development Programme, severely damaging homes, roads and public spaces.
“My husband and I were able to escape safely. But we could not pick up anything,” survivor Shanta Sunar said. “We have lost whatever we had. But we are lucky nothing happened to us.”
Growing Health Concerns
The United Nations warned of serious public health risks from overcrowded shelters, contaminated water and damaged health facilities, particularly during the monsoon season.
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Nearly 3,500 displaced people are currently staying across 27 sites in the worst-hit districts of Nuwakot and Rasuwa, while authorities have increased disease surveillance.
Climate Change Concerns
The disaster has renewed warnings about the Himalayan region’s vulnerability to future glacial floods.
“Questions about why the ice and rock collapsed and how such a large volume of water was generated must be answered by the global community,” Shah said.
China has also linked the flooding to climate change.
Reuters
