Nepal flash floods aftermath LIVE: Death toll near 1,250 as more than 4,000 still missing - The Hindu

**Nepal Flash Floods Aftermath: Death Toll Near 1,250, Over 4,000 Still Missing**

Kathmandu – A series of unprecedented flash floods and landslides that struck Nepal’s central hills and the low‑lying Terai region in the early hours of Thursday has left at least 1,250 people dead and more than 4,000 still unaccounted for, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). The disaster, triggered by an intense monsoon surge that swelled the Koshi and Arun river basins and caused a glacial lake outburst in the Langtang area, has devastated villages across the districts of Sindhupalchok, Dolakha, Ramechhap and the eastern Terai. Preliminary assessments indicate that over 150,000 residents have been displaced, with thousands of homes reduced to rubble, schools and health facilities inundated, and critical road and bridge networks severed, hampering rescue operations.

The Nepalese government has mobilised the army, police, and civilian volunteers in a massive relief effort, deploying over 2,000 troops, helicopters, and rescue boats to reach isolated settlements. International aid has begun to flow: the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has pledged $12 million, while neighboring India and China have sent emergency supplies and medical teams. However, critics in the United States and Europe argue that the initial contribution from the U.S. government, a modest $500,000, falls short of the scale of need, prompting calls from NGOs for a more coordinated, larger‑scale response. Meanwhile, Nepal’s foreign ministry has formally requested climate‑related compensation from China, the United States and India, citing scientific studies that link the severity of the floods to accelerated glacial melt and extreme weather patterns driven by global warming.

A post‑disaster audit released by the Institute of Water and Climate Development (IWCD) warns that early warning systems and river‑monitoring infrastructure were insufficient to alert vulnerable communities. The report notes that satellite data and river‑flow models had signalled rising flood risk days before the catastrophe, but communication gaps and limited local capacity delayed evacuation orders. In response, the government has announced a $250 million “Resilient Nepal” fund to upgrade early‑warning networks, reinforce embankments, and relocate settlements from high‑risk zones. As rescue teams continue to search for the missing, the nation grapples with immediate humanitarian needs while confronting longer‑term challenges of climate adaptation and disaster preparedness.