The death toll from the catastrophic flash floods in the Himalayas near the Nepal-Tibet border has risen to 626, with the number of missing climbing to nearly 3,000. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
Search and rescue operations are entering their fourth day after the devastating floods on Wednesday. Poor weather has hampered aerial rescue operations in Nepal.
Nepal's finance minister, Swarnim Wagle, told Reuters today that the country will need up to $5 billion to rebuild. He said the figure is "just an estimate" and that "loss and damage is being assessed".
The floods are believed to have been caused by a melting glacier high in the mountains, which set off a deadly cascade of water into the valleys below.
What we know so far
- 01**Missing:** Nepal's disaster agency on Saturday said 2,426 people were missing on its side of the border, while China's Xinhua news agency reports the total number of missing in Tibet is now 554.
- 02**Deaths:** The death toll in Nepal has risen to 626, while China's Xinhua news agency earlier today reported seven people confirmed dead in Tibet.
- 03**Rescued:** More than 3,700 people have been rescued in Nepal so far, but at least 93,000 people are estimated to have been affected by the disaster, according to the Red Cross.
- 04**Foreigners:** At least 777 foreigners are missing, with Nepal's disaster agency on Friday reporting 517 foreigners unaccounted for – which could include tourists and foreign workers – and Chinese officials putting the number of foreigners missing at 260.
Rescue operations continue, but poor weather is hampering aerial efforts. The Nepalese government is assessing the damage and planning reconstruction.