Disasters & Incidents
Nepal flood: 1,030 bodies buried in mass graves
Nepal Police said about 1,030 bodies have been buried in mass graves after DNA samples were taken, as rescuers continued searching for survivors from the flood disaster on the China-Nepal border.
Nepal's disaster agency said 1,294 bodies had been recovered in Nepal and 5,053 people were missing. Chinese state media said 31 people had been killed and 531 were missing in China, bringing the overall reported toll to 1,325 dead and 5,584 missing.
Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet told AFP on Saturday that teams had been working since morning on search and rescue operations. Searches continued at the Trishuli 3A tunnel, where two hydropower workers were pulled out alive on Friday after being trapped for nine days, and at other sites hit by the August 26 flood.
The two rescued men, previously identified as Sanjay Sah and Kabir Maharjan, were taken to hospital and reported to be in stable condition. Rescuers described their rescue as a miracle after days of digging through blocked tunnels and debris.
The rescued pair were among hundreds of hydropower workers missing after a wall of water, mud and debris swept through the Himalayan border area following a vast glacial and rock collapse. At least 12 hydropower projects were destroyed.
Basnet said work was continuing at the tunnels but that there was no further update. The government had initially said it believed more than 100 workers could be alive inside multiple tunnels. Experts from India, China, Australia and South Korea have been helping Nepali rescuers search blocked tunnels.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah promised to provide safe and comfortable accommodation for thousands of displaced people now living in temporary relief camps. The United Nations has appealed for $50 million to help more than 84,000 people affected by the disaster.
Update
Nepal Police said about 1,030 bodies had been buried in mass graves after DNA samples were taken.
Nepal Army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet said search and rescue work continued Saturday at tunnels and other sites.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah promised safe and comfortable accommodation for displaced people now living in temporary relief camps.
Experts from Australia were also reported to be aiding Nepali rescuers, alongside teams from India, China and South Korea.
Source note: AFP news report published on 5 September 2026 at 06:05:39 UTC.
Update
The overall death toll was updated to 1,325, with 5,584 people missing, based on Nepal disaster authority and Chinese state media figures.
Nepal's disaster authority said 1,294 bodies had been recovered and 5,053 people were missing as of nightfall Friday.
Chinese state media said 31 people had been killed and 531 were missing in China.
Extra soldiers were sent Friday to support searches, and three dead bodies were pulled out.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 13:50:17 UTC.
Update
The United Nations launched a $50 million appeal to help more than 84,000 people affected by the disaster.
Relatives of rescued worker Kabir Maharjan said he could talk, recognised his wife and had an injured leg.
Extra soldiers were sent on Friday to support searches and pulled out three bodies.
The government initially said it believed more than 100 workers could be alive inside multiple tunnels.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 11:45:21 UTC.
Update
Nepal's disaster authority said 1,287 bodies had been recovered and 5,083 people were missing in Nepal.
Chinese state media said 21 people had been killed and 541 were missing in China, bringing the combined reported toll to 1,308 killed and 5,624 missing.
The energy ministry said both rescued workers were in stable condition and receiving treatment in a Kathmandu hospital.
Rescued worker Sanjay Sah said on video that he believed more workers may be inside the tunnel.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 10:16:45 UTC.
Update
The prime minister's office said Sanjay Shah was in stable condition and Kabir Maharjan was in intensive care.
Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said rescue operations were continuing in affected tunnels.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 06:09:45 UTC.
Update
Nepal's disaster authority says 1,259 bodies have been recovered and 5,083 people are missing in Nepal.
China state media says 21 people have been killed and 541 are missing in China.
The combined reported toll is 1,280 killed and 5,624 missing across Nepal and China.
More than 800 foreigners from at least 34 countries are among those missing in Nepal and Tibet in China.
The United Nations warned that the scale of destruction is making aid delivery difficult, with cargo drones and porters being considered for isolated communities.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 05:24:00 UTC.
Update
The rescued workers were named as Sanjay Shah, 30, and Kabir Maharjan, 45.
Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said one worker was rescued from the Trishuli 3A tunnel, followed shortly by a second.
Home Minister Sudan Gurung also confirmed the second rescue.
Rescue teams in Nepal have recovered more than 1,250 bodies, and more than 5,000 people are missing after the August 26 disaster.
Australian tunnel rescue expert Arnold Dix was travelling to Nepal after supporting the operation remotely.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 04:26:00 UTC.
Update
Nepali ministers said two trapped tunnel workers had been rescued.
Source note: AFP news report published on 4 September 2026 at 03:51:30 UTC.
Update
Nepali rescuers searching hydropower tunnels have hit blocked passages and no one has been confirmed alive inside.
The disaster authority said 639 hydropower workers are missing.
Rescuers pulled at least three bodies from two tunnels on Monday.
The Nepal Electricity Authority said 11 hydropower stations and one solar power station with 431.1 megawatts of capacity had stopped operating.
Another 15 power projects under construction with planned capacity of 470 megawatts were damaged.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 07:14:30 UTC.
Update
Nepal's disaster authority said at least 1,114 people had died in Nepal.
The combined reported death toll across Nepal and Tibet rose to 1,130.
The latest figures kept the combined missing total at 4,462, including 3,916 in Nepal and 546 in Tibet.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 05:32:25 UTC.
Update
The overall reported toll across Nepal and Tibet is now 1,066 dead and 4,462 missing.
Nepal said 1,050 bodies had been recovered by Tuesday and 3,916 people remained missing.
Chinese state media reported 16 dead and 546 missing in Tibet.
Nepali authorities have buried hundreds of unidentified bodies after DNA sampling because mortuaries are overflowing.
Rescuers are still trying to reach hydropower plant tunnels blocked by sludge, where they hope survivors may remain.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said he did not want to completely give up hope that some missing people could be alive.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah linked the catastrophe to increasing Himalayan risks alongside climate change and said disaster response was a global responsibility.
Chinese state media said road access to Gyirong Port in Tibet had been restored on Wednesday after repair work.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 03:45:24 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
It remains unclear whether more workers are alive inside blocked tunnels.
Missing-person and death figures may change as searches and identification work continue.
Source
AFP news report published on .