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Nepal Flood Deaths Top 1,000 as UN Flags New Crisis Phase
(MENAFN) Nepal's flood-hit regions are moving into a critical new stage of the disaster response, the UN said Tuesday, as the death toll climbed, thousands remained unaccounted for, and early surveys pegged flood debris at more than 2.2 million tonnes.
"Our colleagues tell us that the response to last week's flash floods is entering a new phase, with authorities intensifying relief efforts and recovery operations," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at a briefing.
More than 1,000 bodies have now been pulled from the wreckage, Dujarric said, while 3,900 people are still missing. Rescue efforts, meanwhile, have pulled thousands to safety: "Nearly 12,000 have been rescued so far," he added.
Displacement numbers are also swelling. "Nearly 3,500 people are now living in 27 displacement sites across the hardest-hit districts of Nuwakot and Rasuwa," Dujarric said, noting that many families have taken refuge in school buildings — forcing widespread disruptions to children's education.
Citing figures from the UN Development Programme, Dujarric said a preliminary survey found at least 2.2 million tonnes of debris scattered along the region's worst-affected river system. Roughly 556,200 tonnes of that came from destroyed buildings, based on satellite analysis of more than 2,300 damaged structures.
The flooding also tore through Nepal's energy grid, knocking 11 hydropower stations and a solar facility offline — a combined loss of about 431.1 megawatts. Another 15 hydropower projects still under construction, representing a further 470 megawatts of planned capacity, were also damaged, Dujarric said.
Access to affected areas remains the biggest obstacle to relief efforts, with more than 40 bridges destroyed and stretches of the country's main highway impassable. Army helicopters are now the primary lifeline for isolated communities awaiting supplies.
Dujarric also sounded the alarm on public health, warning of mounting risks tied to "overcrowded shelters, contaminated water and damaged health facilities" — conditions he said leave women and children especially exposed to disease as monsoon season continues.
Separately, official figures released Tuesday by Nepal and China showed the combined death toll from flash floods and mudslides along their shared Himalayan border has now exceeded 1,050, with more than 4,000 people — including hundreds of foreign nationals — still missing.
"Our colleagues tell us that the response to last week's flash floods is entering a new phase, with authorities intensifying relief efforts and recovery operations," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at a briefing.
More than 1,000 bodies have now been pulled from the wreckage, Dujarric said, while 3,900 people are still missing. Rescue efforts, meanwhile, have pulled thousands to safety: "Nearly 12,000 have been rescued so far," he added.
Displacement numbers are also swelling. "Nearly 3,500 people are now living in 27 displacement sites across the hardest-hit districts of Nuwakot and Rasuwa," Dujarric said, noting that many families have taken refuge in school buildings — forcing widespread disruptions to children's education.
Citing figures from the UN Development Programme, Dujarric said a preliminary survey found at least 2.2 million tonnes of debris scattered along the region's worst-affected river system. Roughly 556,200 tonnes of that came from destroyed buildings, based on satellite analysis of more than 2,300 damaged structures.
The flooding also tore through Nepal's energy grid, knocking 11 hydropower stations and a solar facility offline — a combined loss of about 431.1 megawatts. Another 15 hydropower projects still under construction, representing a further 470 megawatts of planned capacity, were also damaged, Dujarric said.
Access to affected areas remains the biggest obstacle to relief efforts, with more than 40 bridges destroyed and stretches of the country's main highway impassable. Army helicopters are now the primary lifeline for isolated communities awaiting supplies.
Dujarric also sounded the alarm on public health, warning of mounting risks tied to "overcrowded shelters, contaminated water and damaged health facilities" — conditions he said leave women and children especially exposed to disease as monsoon season continues.
Separately, official figures released Tuesday by Nepal and China showed the combined death toll from flash floods and mudslides along their shared Himalayan border has now exceeded 1,050, with more than 4,000 people — including hundreds of foreign nationals — still missing.
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