Grief-stricken families in Nepal are anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones as rescue crews race to find more survivors buried among the debris from the catastrophic flash floods the resulting mudslide that swept through the north of the country on Wednesday.
The flash floods, triggered by the collapse of a glacier at a higher elevation, tore through Nepal's Bhote Koshi river in a matter of minutes. The disaster swept the Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts, causing widespread destruction and mass casualties.
Nepali authorities confirmed Sunday that the death toll has risen to 734, with nearly 2,500 people still missing.
The disasters has devastated entire communities, leaving towns and villages utterly shell-shocked. For Tara Tamang, a survivor from Trishuli Bazaar in the Nuwakot district, the loss is almost unimaginable as she is now the lone surviving member of her family.
"I have lost my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law, my nieces and nephews, my siblings. I was rescued, but I can't contact my family. Now what will happen?" said Tamang, her voice shaking with grief.
Search and rescue teams are working around the clock in the valleys and hillsides lost under thick layers of debris. Helicopters have been deployed to reach inaccessible terrain, while ground crews struggle to clear the only major trade route between Nepal and China, which has been completely buried by landslides and mud.
For many survivors, the wait for news is agonizing. Krishna Bahadur Bhujel, who has come out to search for a missing loved one, expressed the frustration felt by countless families.
"Mobile messages say that the person you are trying to reach cannot be contacted and it's been an hour since the phones have been switched off. So, we have come here to find my son-in-law," he said.
The disaster has reduced entire villages to rubble, and with roads cut off, some survivors are making the arduous journey on foot to see what remains of their homes.
"I am saddened to see that many have lost their loved ones. I have been crying for their loss. For me, my house is gone. A shelter we worked hard to build," said Saraswati Silwal, another survivor.
The challenging conditions are hindering the search and rescue progress, with one rescue worker describing the difficulties they are facing on the ground.
"Since the debris is slushy and loose, it is becoming difficult to operate the bulldozers. If it was dry, we would have carried out our operation efficiently. I was stuck for a long time in the sludge," said Pawan Koirala, the rescue team member.
With each passing hour, hope is fading for those still unaccounted for, as the nation mourns the immense loss of life and livelihoods in one of its deadliest natural disasters in years.
Grief-stricken families await news as Nepali flood death toll rises
Grief-stricken families await news as Nepali flood death toll rises
