Nepal floods death toll reaches 626 as rescuers continue search for nearly 2,000 people missing

The death toll from devastating flash floods in central Nepal rose to 626 on Saturday with rescue teams continuing to recover bodies from several affected districts as nearly 2000 people remained missingThe National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority NDRRMA said the bodies had been recovered from eight districts of the Himalayan nation following the floods which swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on WednesdaySearch rescue and relief operations continued for the fourth consecutive day on Saturday with emergency teams also evacuating thousands of people stranded in floodaffected areasBodies recovered from eight floodhit districtsAccording to the NDRRMA Chitwan accounted for the highest number of recovered bodies with 233 people confirmed dead in the districtNawalparasi East reported 158 bodies followed by Nuwakot where 51 bodies were recoveredThe authority said 48 bodies were recovered from Gorkha 47 from Nawalparasi West 45 from Dhading 31 from Tanahu and 13 from RasuwaThe recovery of additional bodies pushed the overall death toll to 626 on Saturday as search teams continued operations in areas affected by the floodingAuthorities are continuing efforts to identify victims and locate people who remain unaccounted forNearly 2000 people remain missingDespite the evacuation and rescue efforts nearly 2000 people remain missing following the disasterThe floods have severely affected several districts in central Nepal with damaged roads and difficult terrain complicating efforts to reach some affected locationsRescue teams are continuing searches in areas where people are believed to have been swept away by floodwatersThe number of missing people remains high as authorities gather information from affected communities and continue efforts to establish the full scale of the disasterNearly 2500 stranded people evacuatedNepalese rescue teams have evacuated nearly 2500 people who had been stranded by the floods authorities saidThe evacuations have taken place as search and relief operations continue across affected areasRescue personnel are working to move people from locations cut off by floodwaters and damaged infrastructure while also assisting communities facing shortages of essential suppliesThe largescale operation has entered its fourth day with authorities continuing to deploy personnel and resources to the worsthit districtsFlash floods caused extensive infrastructure damageThe flash floods swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday causing widespread destructionSettlements roads bridges and hydropower infrastructure were damaged as floodwaters moved through several parts of the regionThe destruction of roads and bridges has affected transport connectivity and created additional challenges for rescue teams attempting to reach isolated areasDamage to hydropower infrastructure has also added to the broader impact of the disaster while authorities continue to assess losses across the affected districtsAuthorities warn of risk from rising water levelsOn Friday the NDRRMA warned that rising water levels at the site of the flash floods had increased the risk of another flood in the areaThe warning has added to concerns for communities and rescue workers operating near affected river systems and floodhit locationsAuthorities are continuing to monitor water levels while carrying out search and rescue operations The evolving conditions could further complicate efforts to locate those still missing and restore access to affected areasWith inputs from PTI