469 Confirmed Dead, With 65 US Citizens and Other Foreign Nationals Among the 2,381 Missing

KATHMANDU – The search operation following the devastating Bhotekoshi flood has expanded significantly today, as the official death toll rose to 469. Authorities continue to warn that a new, major flood could strike downstream settlements if a natural dam formed upstream breaks.

The Nepal Police confirmed the updated casualty figures this morning. Rescuers are now focused on eight affected districts. The highest number of bodies has been recovered in Chitwan (178) and Nawalparasi East (110). Identification of the victims has begun in Chitwan, while search efforts are being intensified in the Rasuwa district.

The crisis is far from over. Thousands of people are still missing, and a critical danger looms upstream in Tibet. A large natural barrier lake has formed, holding a significant volume of water. Chinese monitoring agencies and Nepali authorities have issued high alerts, warning that if this natural dam fails, it could release another catastrophic surge of water, endangering all communities along the river.

According to the Nepal Police, 2,381 people remain unaccounted for. This total includes 1,737 domestic citizens and 644 foreign nationals, along with 127 Nepali citizens who were visiting from abroad.

The breakdown of the missing foreign nationals highlights the international impact of the disaster, including:

 India: 178

 United States: 65

 Ukraine: 53

 Malaysia: 51

 Australia: 35

 United Kingdom: 33

 Canada: 25

Officials are urging residents in all downstream areas to remain vigilant and follow evacuation orders. Search and rescue teams are working around the clock, facing significant challenges due to the scale of the debris and the ongoing threat of a secondary flood.