Nepal searches for missing after glacial collapse near China
In Nepal, rescuers continued searching for people on September 6 after a glacial and mountain collapse on the border with China. The disaster, which occurred on August 26, claimed at least 1,372 lives in Nepal and China, while more than 5,500 people are still considered missing, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.
The search operation continued for a twelfth day in difficult weather conditions, without communications and amid hard-to-reach mountainous terrain. A flow of icy water and debris destroyed roads, bridges and other infrastructure facilities in mountainous areas.
Four people found alive
On Saturday, rescuers found two people alive, while another two were rescued the day before. Three of them were in tunnels at hydropower facilities. Nepal’s Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha told AFP that search and rescue work in the tunnels was continuing despite the terrain, unfavorable weather and lack of communications.
In particular, a Chinese citizen was found deep inside a tunnel at a hydropower facility. Rescuers also pulled 64-year-old Nepali woman Chandrika Shrestha from a mud-covered house. Prime Minister Balendra Shah said that her rescue gave hope to the entire nation.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Two Nepali hydropower workers were found the previous day in the Trishuli 3A tunnel. At least 12 hydropower projects were affected by the disaster. Work to restore electricity supply is continuing in several areas, while in hard-to-reach locations authorities are trying to restore it with solar energy.
Victims and humanitarian aid
According to Nepal’s disaster management agency, rescuers recovered 1,341 bodies, while 4,996 people remain missing. Chinese state media reported 31 deaths and 531 missing people in Tibet. About 800 foreigners, including tourists and pilgrims, are among those missing in the two countries.
Due to overcrowded morgues in Nepal, hundreds of bodies were buried in mass graves after DNA samples were taken for later identification. About 100 identified bodies have been handed over to families. The country will hold a national day of mourning on Monday.
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal called the disaster a “Himalayan tsunami” and warned that reconstruction could cost billions of dollars. The UN announced a $50 million appeal to assist more than 84,000 people. The exact cause of the glacial collapse has not yet been established.
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