KATHMANDU / RankWire.AI / – The number of individuals reported missing following the August 26 floods in Nepal has risen to 6,150, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. This updated figure represents an increase of 971 from the previous count of 5,179. Officials explained that the rise results from updated data from affected districts after verification processes. Since the disaster, authorities have recovered 1,403 bodies. The floods and debris flows caused widespread destruction across northern Nepal, especially near the border with China.
Efforts are ongoing to identify the recovered bodies, with 105 having been formally recognized so far, while forensic teams work on the remaining remains. The latest government data indicates that 3,175 DNA samples have been collected for identification purposes, including 1,286 from the deceased and 1,889 from relatives of the missing. Since the disaster struck, rescue operations have saved 13,742 people. Additionally, 587 foreign nationals are still listed as missing, highlighting the international scope of the ongoing search and identification efforts.
Missing persons records specify 2,679 cases in Rasuwa and 1,787 in Nuwakot, both districts affected by the late-August calamity. The floods damaged communities, roads, and infrastructure throughout the mountainous region. Search teams are actively working through river corridors, affected villages, and sites related to major hydropower projects. Authorities are also cross-referencing local records with family reports as they update the national missing persons list.
Continued search and victim identification efforts
The disaster was triggered by a collapse of ice and rock on Mount Langtang Lirung, which led to a powerful debris flow. This flow entered the Bhotekoshi river system, flowing through valleys and communities downstream. Rasuwa faced significant losses due to its location along the Nepal-China border and flood pathways. Other districts affected include Nuwakot, Dhading, and several downstream areas. The August 26 event also severely disrupted infrastructure and left thousands requiring rescue or emergency aid.
Official figures show that rescue helicopters have completed 1,923 flights supporting rescue operations. Authorities have set up 29 holding centers for displaced and affected individuals, with the latest data indicating 2,096 people housed there. Nepal Police have played a crucial role in rescue, relief, and community outreach in affected zones. Rescue teams continue operating in challenging mountainous terrain while forensic experts process DNA samples to confirm identities of recovered victims.
Data verification leads to updated missing persons total
Following verification and data collection from affected districts, officials increased the missing persons count from 5,179 to 6,150, adding 971 individuals to the national tally. Authorities are still differentiating between missing persons and confirmed fatalities, with forensic teams matching DNA samples from recovered bodies to those provided by relatives. As of the latest update, only 105 of the 1,403 recovered bodies have been officially identified.
China also reports fatalities and missing persons related to the disaster, with 43 deaths and 519 still unaccounted for. The combined death toll for Nepal and China now stands at 1,446 confirmed fatalities, with at least 6,669 individuals still missing. In Nepal, the latest verified figures remain 6,150 missing and 1,403 bodies recovered. Rescue, recovery, and identification activities are ongoing across the affected regions as officials review district reports and forensic data to maintain an accurate account of those killed, missing, and rescued.