Rescue efforts continue as Nepal-China flood death toll surpasses 1,270 - Al Jazeera

**Rescue operations intensify as Nepal‑China flood death toll climbs above 1,270**

*Kathmandu, Nepal* – The monsoon‑triggered flash floods that swept through the border regions of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in early July have now claimed more than 1,270 lives, according to the Nepal Ministry of Home Affairs. The worst‑hit districts include Karnali, Sudurpashchim, and the remote high‑altitude valleys of Mustang, where entire villages were inundated within hours. Nepalese army units, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), and Chinese rescue teams are jointly conducting search‑and‑rescue missions, deploying helicopters, boats, and trained dogs to locate survivors buried under debris. As of today, over 1,100 people remain unaccounted for, prompting authorities to hold “symbolic funerals” for the missing while families cling to hope that some may still be alive.

Health officials warn that the flood’s aftermath creates a fertile ground for water‑borne diseases, with cholera, dysentery, and acute gastro‑enteritis identified as the primary threats. The Ministry of Health has dispatched rapid‑response medical teams to set up temporary clinics, distribute oral rehydration salts, and inoculate at‑risk populations against hepatitis A. “The first health risk people should watch out for is contamination of drinking water,” said Dr. Maya Shrestha, chief epidemiologist at NDRRMA, stressing the urgency of clean‑water supplies and proper sanitation in temporary shelters. International aid agencies, including the Red Cross and UNICEF, have begun air‑dropping hygiene kits and establishing water purification stations in the hardest‑hit camps.

Amid the tragedy, stories of survival have offered brief moments of hope. A 97‑year‑old woman from the village of Chaurikharka survived more than eight hours trapped under rubble before being rescued by a Nepalese Army helicopter crew, inspiring rescue workers to press on. Meanwhile, several foreign tourists who were initially reported missing have re‑established contact with their embassies, prompting officials to shift resources toward locating other stranded visitors. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal appealed for continued international solidarity, urging neighboring countries to assist with medical supplies, food aid, and logistical support as the region grapples with the looming risk of secondary landslides and further flash‑flood events.