Poor weather conditions have forced a suspension of aerial rescue operations in Nepal, stalling the search for hundreds of individuals missing in the wake of catastrophic flash floods along the border with China. As the disaster enters its fourth day, ground crews and military personnel continue to work around the clock in a desperate bid to locate survivors.
Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet, a spokesperson for the Nepali Army, confirmed on Saturday that helicopter missions remain on hold until weather conditions improve. Rescue efforts persist at several key locations, including the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Nepal’s Rasuwa district. Authorities suspect that more than 100 people may be trapped within a tunnel at this construction site, which is currently filled with 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) of thick mud. Rescuers have utilized ropes and baskets to reach some individuals, though operations are severely limited by the difficult terrain and the scarcity of suitable helicopter landing zones.
Teams have also been forced to relocate temporarily on several occasions due to official warnings regarding the potential for further flooding. Heightened alert remains in place regarding a new lake formed high in the Himalayan mountains following a glacier collapse that triggered the initial floods on Wednesday. While experts previously expressed concern that the lake was beginning to overflow, monitoring data from the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources indicated that the water level dropped by 10 meters (32 feet) from its Thursday morning peak.
In the hard-hit Gyirong border crossing, rescuers have reached the area by foot, via rafts, and by being dropped from drones. Broadcast footage captured search teams calling out for survivors, though the exact number of people present at the checkpoint when the floods struck remains unknown.
Official casualty figures continue to shift. Nepal’s disaster-management authority reported 579 deaths on Friday, while police later adjusted the count to 553. On the Chinese side, the death toll reached seven by Friday, with state media highlighting ongoing village evacuations and relief efforts. In Nepal, more than 3,700 people have been rescued, while the number of unaccounted individuals has risen to 1,924 as local tallies are updated. China reported 554 people missing within its borders. Hundreds of those missing across the region include foreign nationals who were present for work, trekking, or pilgrimages to sacred peaks.
