Nepal rescuers reach remote areas, electricity restored nearly a week after devastating floods - reuters.com

**Rescue Operations Expand as Nepal Struggles to Recover From Catastrophic Floods**

A series of unprecedented flash floods and landslides that began on August 24 have devastated large swaths of central and western Nepal, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving thousands still missing, according to the latest figures compiled by the Nepalese government and reported by Reuters. The deluge, triggered by record‑breaking monsoon rains, swamped villages along the Karnali, Bagmati and Seti rivers, swept away homes, schools and bridges, and inundated critical infrastructure. The death toll, which now exceeds 1,000, eclipses the combined loss from the 2015 earthquake and the 2017 floods, underscoring the scale of the humanitarian crisis.

In response, the Nepalese armed forces, the National Disaster Risk Management Authority and dozens of local NGOs have intensified search‑and‑rescue missions, finally reaching some of the most isolated mountain hamlets that were cut off by washed‑out roads and landslide‑blocked passes. By the seventh day after the disaster, electricity supplies to several remote districts were restored, allowing relief camps to power essential medical equipment and communication devices. Rescue teams also focused on the high‑risk hydropower tunnels where hundreds of workers were feared trapped; while many have been evacuated safely, the tunnels remain a focal point of ongoing operations. International aid—including water purification kits, temporary shelters and emergency food parcels—has been air‑dropped into hard‑to‑reach valleys, and neighboring India and China have pledged additional support.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dhal Rai, addressing the nation on television, appealed for swift global climate action, warning that the floods are a stark reminder of Nepal’s vulnerability to extreme weather amplified by climate change. He announced a package of emergency funds for reconstruction, pledged to accelerate the rehabilitation of damaged roads and bridges, and emphasized the need for a long‑term disaster‑risk reduction strategy. Meanwhile, the government has issued another flood warning for the upcoming monsoon season, urging residents in high‑risk zones to relocate to safer areas and to remain vigilant for further landslides and flash‑flood events.