Nepal has issued new flood warnings in districts already devastated by the Himalayan flash-flood disaster, as rising water in the Bhotekoshi River threatened to complicate rescue and recovery work. Alerts were sent to residents on Sunday morning after Chinese authorities notified Nepal of increased upstream flow.
The warnings arrived as the scale of the disaster continued to grow. Updated official figures reported by the Associated Press placed the combined toll in Nepal and Tibet at 750 dead and more than 3,000 missing. Nepal's disaster agency reported 734 deaths and 2,498 people unaccounted for, while Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing. The lists include Nepali citizens and people from more than a dozen other countries.
Those figures remain subject to revision as search teams reach damaged communities and authorities reconcile missing-person reports across the border. The Indian Express also reported a rapidly rising toll and thousands still missing, underscoring the fluid nature of the count.
The immediate concern is not limited to the original surge. Nepalese officials urged people in affected areas to stay on high alert as the Bhotekoshi rose again. Residents described repeated alarms forcing families to prepare to move to higher ground, including during the night and in continuing rain. For households caring for children, older relatives or injured family members, repeated evacuation warnings have added strain to an already difficult recovery.
Physical damage is slowing the response. Floodwater and debris buried homes, vehicles, farm equipment and rice terraces under thick sediment. Concrete bridges and smaller suspension crossings were destroyed, cutting links between communities on opposite sides of rivers. Electricity remained unavailable in some places where poles and wires had been twisted into the mud.
Crews were also working to clear the Prithivi Highway, an important supply route connecting Kathmandu with other parts of the country. Most of the highway was operating, but damaged sections still required repair. Any prolonged disruption would make it harder to move food, fuel, relief material and rescue equipment into the capital and surrounding districts.
Drones were used to deliver supplies into areas made difficult to reach by the destruction. Helicopters continued moving survivors where weather and access allowed, while families gathered at relief centers waiting for information about relatives.
The newest alert reflects the continuing cross-border nature of the emergency. Water conditions upstream in Tibet can quickly affect valleys and settlements in Nepal, making communication between authorities essential while river levels remain unstable. The warning does not mean another destructive flood is certain, but it raises the risk facing communities whose roads, bridges and communications have already been weakened.
For now, the response remains divided among immediate evacuation readiness, searches for the missing, relief for displaced residents and restoration of transport and power. Authorities have asked people near affected waterways to follow official instructions as conditions change.
