Nepal floods: death toll rises to 389
The death toll from the devastating flash floods on the Bhotekoshi River in Nepal on Wednesday has risen to 389, Nepal Police said on Thursday evening.
When water carrying mud and rocks crashes down on mountain villages, it wipes out not only homes but also lives. The tragedy on the Bhotekoshi River has become one of the deadliest in Nepal's history in recent decades. Each new number in the reports is someone's life, someone's lost hope. But in this chaos, there is another side: people risking themselves to save survivors, doctors working in tents, soldiers pushing through landslides. The disaster has shown its destructive power, but it has also demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit.
Rescue and humanitarian operations are currently under way in the affected areas. A temporary hospital has been set up in Trisuli Bazaar, Nuwakot district, and survivors are being evacuated by helicopter to nearby army camps. A large number of military personnel have been deployed to assist in rescue efforts. However, rescue operations in some more remote areas are severely hampered by landslides that have blocked local roads. In one village in Nuwakot district, almost all houses are partially submerged in mud. With large amounts of silt blocking the entrances to affected villages, the burden on road repair crews has increased.
The Bhotekoshi River originates in the Tibetan Plateau and flows through central Nepal, joining the Trishuli River. The Nuwakot district, located northwest of Kathmandu, frequently suffers from floods and landslides during the monsoon season, which lasts from June to September. However, the scale of this disaster is unprecedented: the water level rose by dozens of metres, sweeping away entire neighbourhoods. Access to the worst‑hit villages is possible only by air or on foot, as roads have been destroyed. The Nepali authorities have appealed for international assistance, and several countries have already sent rescue teams and humanitarian aid.
For the Nepali government, ensuring road access and rapid progress into the hardest‑hit and most remote areas has become an urgent priority in the ongoing disaster relief effort.
As CCTV+ reports, rescue operations in Nepal are continuing, but the death toll may rise as many areas remain inaccessible and people may still be trapped under debris. The international community has expressed condolences and is providing support, but the scale of destruction requires long‑term and coordinated efforts. This tragedy once again highlights the need to strengthen early warning systems and disaster preparedness in mountainous regions.
