Nepal floods death toll rises to 1,252 as rescue operations continue

Catastrophic floods on the China-Nepal border have killed at least 1,252 people in Nepal, the country's disaster authority said Thursday.

Chinese state media earlier confirmed 21 deaths in Tibet, taking the overall toll from the disaster to more than 1,270. The floods struck on August 26.

How many people are still missing in Nepal?

The number of missing in Nepal remained at 4,216 as of Thursday, as rescue operations continued on a war-footing. In China, state media reported 541 people missing, bringing the combined missing count to 4,757.

Nearly 600 foreigners from over 30 nationalities are also unaccounted for.

How many foreigners are missing in the Nepal floods?

Indians make up one of the largest proportions of missing foreigners, and some 75 Americans are also unaccounted for, according to the US State Department on Wednesday. In Kathmandu, desperate families of missing foreigners said they were combing hospitals and morgues for information about their loved ones.

"I feel desperate, it's been so many days," said 53-year-old American Sanjeev Rai, who flew to Nepal after learning that his wife was untraceable. His account reflects the anguish reported by other foreign families searching the capital.

Why is aid struggling to reach flood-hit areas?

The floods tore through mountain districts and destroyed roads, bridges and other infrastructure, hampering relief efforts. Aid agencies said they were considering deploying porters to deliver aid to hard-hit districts near the border with China. Helicopters and cargo drones are also being discussed as delivery options.

"We've been discussing with the government how also to use helicopters, cargo drones to be able to deliver aid," Lila Pieters Yahia, the UN resident coordinator for Nepal, told reporters in Kathmandu. "The beauty of your country is you have porters. So we have to go back into also those very simple means to bring the aid as soon as possible." Porters have long been considered the backbone of trekking and mountaineering expeditions in Nepal, known for carrying heavy loads for days across steep trails in tough conditions.

Are rescuers still searching for survivors?

Nepali army personnel and rescue teams, including foreign experts, continued to search Thursday for survivors feared trapped inside several hydropower tunnels. Excavators and other heavy equipment are being used in the search, the army said. The work was ongoing as of Thursday.