Nepal flood rescue efforts intensify as death toll rises, with more than 2,000 people still missing
Updated on: August 28, 2026 / 10:08 PM EDT / CBS/AP
TL;DR
- Flash floods and landslides in Nepal and China have killed almost 600 people and left approximately 2,500 missing.
- A newly formed lake upstream presents a further flood risk, leading authorities to urge people in affected areas to move to safety.
- Over 3,700 people have been rescued in Nepal, with 1,924 unaccounted for in the country; China reports 558 missing.
- Hundreds of the missing are foreigners on work, trekking, or pilgrimage trips.
- Helicopters have rescued over 3,000 people in Nepal, while China has reported five deaths and evacuations.
- The Red Cross estimates about 90,000 people have been impacted by the flooding.
- Authorities issued an alert for a potential dam overflow on the Tibetan side, increasing the need for high alert among rescue personnel.
- Rescuers are working to save people trapped in a hydropower tunnel in Rasuwa, Nepal.
- Scientists suggest the disaster was triggered by the collapse of a rocky ledge and a portion of a glacier, registering as a seismic event.
- Climate scientists note that the Hindu Kush Himalayan region is warming rapidly, affecting glaciers and mountain slopes.
- 90 Americans are among the missing in Nepal, with five having been rescued.
- U.S. aid, including food supplies and shelter materials, is being delivered to Nepal.
- About 80 people from 19 countries participating in an Isha Foundation pilgrimage are missing.