More than a week after a massive landslide and flash flood struck northern Nepal near the Chinese border on August 26, the full extent of the damage still remains unknown.
1,252 Dead, More Than 4,200 Missing
According to Nepalese authorities, at least 1,252 deaths had been confirmed by September 3, with more than 4,200 people still missing. On the Chinese side, in the Tibet Autonomous Region, 21 people have died and the whereabouts of 541 others remain unknown.
Among those missing in Nepal, at least 583 are foreign tourists or pilgrims. The death and missing tolls could rise further as reports come in from remote areas and as the recovery of bodies continues.
Search Continues at Hydropower Plants
Rescue efforts are focused on hydropower facilities concentrated in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. Several facilities were buried under massive amounts of debris, and as many as 900 workers may have been trapped inside the facilities and tunnels.
The Nepalese army has deployed more than 9,300 personnel. Experts from India, China, and South Korea have also joined the effort, using heavy machinery, controlled blasting, and life-detection equipment to secure access points into the tunnels. However, mud, water, and rock have flowed into the interior, making the search extremely difficult.
So far, 279 people have been rescued from the power facilities, while as of September 2, at least 639 people were believed to remain trapped at the facility sites or inside the tunnels.
7,500 Homes Completely Destroyed
A preliminary survey by the Nepalese government found that approximately 7,500 homes were swept away or buried under debris and completely destroyed. Many of the remaining homes are also uninhabitable, and ultimately about 20,000 homes will need to be rebuilt in safer locations.
An estimated 2.2 million tons of earth, rock, and building debris has piled up in the disaster area. About 50 suspension bridges were also damaged, of which roughly 30 are expected to need replacement.
In addition, eight operating hydropower projects and four under construction were affected, impacting roughly 10% of Nepal’s total power generation capacity. Some facilities may prove impossible to repair.
Japanese Family of Five Still Unaccounted For
No confirmation has yet been announced regarding a Japanese family of five — parents and three children believed to be residents of Osaka. The children are reported to be aged 10, 6, and 3.
The family may have been caught in the landslide near the border checkpoint in Rasuwa district — an area that suffered catastrophic damage — while crossing into Nepal from the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Japanese government has requested that Nepalese authorities search for them and has dispatched emergency response personnel to the area.
Glacier and Bedrock Collapse Triggered the Disaster
This disaster differs from a typical flood caused by monsoon rains. Analysis indicates that the terminus of a glacier and the bedrock beneath it, at an altitude of roughly 5,200 meters, collapsed and fell into a valley about 1,200 meters below. Ice, rock, debris, and meltwater combined into a massive landslide that then flowed down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.
The Nepalese government has indicated its view that the destabilization of Himalayan glaciers due to global warming lies behind the disaster. However, establishing a direct causal link between this particular collapse and climate change will require further scientific investigation.
Moving into the Recovery and Reconstruction Phase
China has provided tents, blankets, and satellite communication equipment, while India and South Korea have also dispatched rescue and forensic experts. Support pledged by countries around the world is reported to have exceeded $42 million by early September.
Meanwhile, at least 22,000 children are in need of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, and schools have repeatedly been swept away or converted into evacuation shelters. The Nepalese government is preparing to open temporary schools in the disaster area and has designated September 7 as a national day of mourning.
The greatest challenge now is shifting toward where to relocate and rebuild the settlements that once stood along dangerous riverbanks and valleys, even as the search for the missing continues.
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