Nepal and China resume flood rescue as death toll surpasses 600 - Al Jazeera

**Nepal and China Resume Flood Rescue Operations as Death Toll Tops 600**

The monsoon‑driven deluge that struck the Himalayan nation in early August has now claimed more than 600 lives, according to the Nepalese government’s disaster management agency. The worst‑hit districts of Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha and Kathmandu have been inundated by flash floods and landslides, washing away whole villages and leaving thousands without shelter. In a joint press conference, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki urged the international community to mount a “global effort” to confront the accelerating impacts of climate change, citing the unprecedented intensity of the storms as a stark warning.

China, which shares a 1,400‑kilometre border with Nepal, deployed additional troops and heavy‑equipment rescue teams to the affected areas on Tuesday, complementing the ongoing operations of Nepal’s own army and the Nepal Red Cross Society. The Chinese People's Liberation Army engineers have been focusing on clearing blocked mountain passes, reinforcing embankments along the Bagmati and Sun Koshi rivers, and providing temporary medical facilities. Meanwhile, Indian disaster response units arrived from the neighboring state of Bihar after a diplomatic “U‑turn” on foreign aid, mobilising over 200 rescuers, helicopters, and mobile health camps to assist the overwhelmed local authorities.

Across the border, Bihar’s river systems have surged past danger levels, prompting state officials to issue flood warnings for districts such as Begusarai and Patna. The cascading effect of the rainstorm has raised concerns that the broader Indo‑Nepal region could face renewed flooding in the coming days. As rescue teams sift through debris in makeshift shelters and a Kathmandu hospital where patients describe the loss of entire villages, officials stress that coordinated cross‑border assistance will be crucial to prevent further casualties and to begin the long process of rebuilding.