Nepal flash floods LIVE: Death toll rises to 538; flood risks to remain until two lakes upstream of flood zone have 'fully drained' - The Hindu

**Flash floods devastate Nepal‑China border, death toll climbs to 538**

A sudden, high‑velocity flash flood tore through the remote border districts of Sankhuwasabha and Taplejung in eastern Nepal on the night of 26 August 2026, killing at least 538 people and leaving dozens more missing. The deluge, triggered by an unprecedented breach of two glacial lakes in the Mahalangur Himal, swept away homes, roads and bridges along the Arun River, cutting off access to several villages. Rescue teams from the Nepalese Army, the National Disaster Risk Management Authority (NDRRMA) and international NGOs have been battling against raging currents and landslides to retrieve bodies and evacuate survivors, while helicopters continue to air‑lift the injured to hospitals in Biratnagar and Kathmandu.

Authorities warned that the flood risk will persist until the two upstream glacial lakes — identified locally as Lake Panglung and Lake Bokar — are fully drained. According to NDRRMA officials, the lakes’ natural dams are still unstable, and any further outflow could trigger another wave of destruction downstream. Engineers have begun a controlled breaching operation, using explosives and temporary spillways, but progress is slow due to the hazardous terrain and continuing after‑shocks. Residents in the floodplain have been ordered to remain in temporary shelters and are prohibited from returning to their homes until the water level recedes and the lakes are declared safe.

The catastrophe has also claimed the lives of foreign nationals. Reports confirm that citizens from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and a small contingent of pilgrims from Tibet and China were among the dead or missing, prompting diplomatic notes of condolence from their respective governments. In the weeks preceding the disaster, the Times of India and several local NGOs had flagged the imminent danger posed by the rapidly expanding glacial lakes, but insufficient mitigation measures left the region vulnerable. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has pledged a comprehensive review of Nepal’s climate‑change adaptation policies and announced an emergency fund to rebuild the devastated communities, while neighboring China has offered technical assistance for the lake‑drainage operation.