By Abdullahi Lukman
Nepal on Monday observed a national day of mourning for victims of devastating glacial floods as rescue teams continued searching for thousands of people still missing, including hundreds of hydropower workers believed to be trapped underground.
The disaster, which struck on August 26 along the China-Nepal border, has left at least 1,398 people dead and more than 5,500 missing, including about 800 foreigners, according to authorities.
National flags were flown at half-mast and candlelight vigils were planned as the country marked the 13th day since the deaths in accordance with Hindu mourning traditions.
Hopes of finding survivors have been strengthened by the rescue of three hydropower workers from tunnels in recent days. Two Nepali workers were rescued on Friday, while a Chinese national was brought out alive on Saturday.
However, relatives of missing workers have urged authorities to intensify rescue operations and produce results.
Australian tunnel rescue expert Arnold Dix, who is assisting Nepali rescue teams, described the operation as an unprecedented challenge involving several potential rescues in dangerous and uncertain conditions. Teams from China, India and South Korea are also supporting the effort.
Rescuers are facing severe conditions inside the affected tunnels, including deep mud and unstable terrain. Drone pilot Adarsha Raj Bhusal recalled sinking waist-deep into mud while entering the flood-hit Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower tunnel in Rasuwa district.
President Ram Chandra Paudel visited relief camps in Nuwakot district on Monday to meet people displaced by the floods.
Authorities have recovered more than 1,300 bodies in Nepal, while overflowing mortuaries have forced officials to bury hundreds of victims in mass graves after collecting DNA samples to assist with future identification.
The disaster has also produced reports of extraordinary survival. A 64-year-old woman, Chandika Shrestha, was rescued alive from her mud-covered home in Bidur on Saturday, despite her family having already performed a symbolic funeral for her.
The precise cause of the glacial collapse remains unclear, but scientists have warned that rising global temperatures are accelerating glacier melt and increasing the risk of floods and other mountain
disasters.
The scale of the destruction is expected to place further pressure on Nepal’s economy. A preliminary UN assessment estimated damage to buildings alone at $158 million, with the overall cost expected to be significantly higher after accounting for damage to roads, bridges, farmland and humanitarian needs.
As rescue operations continue, volunteers in Kathmandu have been collecting essential supplies, including blankets, clothing and household items, for survivors.
