Nepal flash floods LIVE: At least 933 workers trapped in hydropower projects

Home News World Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said the country is facing an “unimaginable and heartbreaking” disaster Updated - August 31, 2026 10:08 am IST Rescue workers taking part in a rescue operation near the tunnel of the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project, following deadly flash floods and mudslides, in Rasuwa, Nepal | Photo Credit: via Reuters At ‌least 933 workers ⁠are believed ‌to be ‌trapped ‌at ⁠around ⁠half a dozen ‌hydropower projects in Nepal following ‌last week’s floods, ⁠the ‌country’s disaster management authority ‌said on Monday (August 31, 2026).Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said the country is facing an “unimaginable and heartbreaking” disaster with authorities struggling to assess the full scale of devastating floods that have killed hundreds.ALSO READ | Nepal’s agony, the Himalayan warning to IndiaThe huge wave of ice, rocks and debris that smashed into villages and towns on Wednesday (August 19) has claimed at least 797 lives in both Nepal and Tibet, across the border in China.Follow latest updates here:August 31, 2026 10:08 In one Nepal district, flood catastrophe is measured in bodies and burial trenchesThe devastating flash floods in the Himalayan region swept so many people downstream that authorities in one Nepalese district have begun burying bodies in temporary graves before they can be identified, prompting accusations that Hindu funeral traditions are being ignored.In south-central Nepal’s Chitwan district, the scale of the catastrophe was evident in some 250 bodies awaiting identification and the hastily dug trenches for their temporary burial following Wednesday’s catastrophic floods and mudslides.The bodies were carried hundreds of kilometers downstream by the Bhotekoshi River from the flood’s epicentre before being recovered in Chitwan.Authorities carried out a temporary burial of about 100 victims on Saturday, officials said, as forensic teams struggled to cope. A convoy of vehicles carrying bodies entered a lush, forested area as an excavator dug a wide trench in the red earth while officials and media looked on.-APAugust 31, 2026 10:02 Report: Nepal struggles to preserve recovered bodies as flood toll touches 788Four days after the flood in Nepal, the death toll in the disaster reached 788, and 2,502 people remained missing even as the preservation of recovered bodies became a challenge for the authorities, who continued with the rescue efforts.Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai said Nepal urgently required freezer units and DNA-testing kits, warning that the bodies must be preserved and identified quickly to prevent decomposition and contain public-health risks. He said the government is “putting all our resources at disposal in relief and rescue operations.”Read more:Nepal struggles to preserve recovered bodies as flood toll touches 788Nepal faces challenges preserving flood victims' bodies as the death toll rises to 788 and rescue efforts continue.August 31, 2026 10:01 Disaster exposes fragility of Hindu Kush Himalayas: U.N. climate chiefThe glacial collapse and flash flood near the Nepal-China border are a devastating reminder of how fragile mountain environments can be, particularly in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said on Sunday (August 30, 2026).He said scientists and local communities have been warning for years that the Hindu Kush Himalayas are at huge risk owing to climate change.Nepal-China flash flood disaster exposes fragility of Hindu Kush Himalayas: U.N. climate chiefUN climate chief warns that the Nepal-China flash flood highlights the vulnerability of the Hindu Kush Himalayas to climate change.August 31, 2026 10:00 Nepal PM says nation facing 'unimaginable' disasterNepal is facing an “unimaginable and heartbreaking” disaster with authorities struggling to assess the full scale of devastating floods that have killed hundreds, Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said.“The devastating floods in the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa have made it extremely difficult to collect a complete account of the loss of life, property, and infrastructure,” he added.“Although this task remains challenging due to adverse weather, difficult terrain, and ongoing risks, we are moving forward with determination to protect the lives of the citizens.”-AFP Published - August 31, 2026 10:00 am IST