KATHMANDU: The death toll in Nepal's flood crossed 1,000 on Tuesday, as rescuers used heavy machinery, helicopters and excavators to reach the thousands still missing, nearly a week after the catastrophic Himalayan disaster left a trail of destruction across towns and valleys. Specialised rescue teams from China, India and Nepal built temporary bridges to reach remote areas and dug through the ruins of hydropower projects in the Himalayas, using excavators to rescue close to 300 workers trapped inside tunnels.
At least 639 people remain stuck in several devastated hydropower stations that have become the focus of rescue efforts, the country's disaster management authority said on Tuesday. The total confirmed death toll rose to 1,003, with about 4,000 people still missing, including 590 foreign nationals from 39 countries.
Over 11,000 people have been rescued across the affected region, and power and communication lines were restored in some areas, he said, promising support for those who were displaced. More than 9,200 personnel were deployed in the affected areas, coordinating the search and rescue of the injured, assisting in the management of bodies, opening blocked roads and conducting emergency treatment, the army said. — Reuters
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