Nepal Flash Flood Death Toll Reaches 1,003 as Rescuers Recover More Bodies and Authorities Issue Fresh Alert

PTI, September 1, 2026, Kathmandu: The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal rose to 1,003 on Tuesday, with security forces recovering more bodies from eight districts of the country, officials said.

Rescuers struggled to trace those stranded amid intermittent rainfall and a fresh flood alert as water levels rose in rivers across eastern, central and western Nepal. Around 4,000 people, including 583 foreigners and several security personnel, still remain missing, while nearly 12,000 have been rescued, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said.

Flash floods, triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal on August 26.

In Nepal, 321 bodies were recovered in Chitwan district, followed by 216 in Nawalparasi East, 170 in Nawalparasi West, 95 in Nuwakot, 65 in Gorkha, 57 in Dhading, 41 in Rasuwa and 38 in Tanahun, according to NDRRMA.

Nepalese authorities on Tuesday issued a fresh alert over the risk of floods in several districts across eastern, central and western parts of the country, urging people living near rivers to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures.

There is a high possibility of flash floods in Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts, where water flow in smaller rivers and streams is expected to rise, according to a notice issued by the NDRRMA.

There is also a risk of rising water levels and a moderate risk of flash floods in districts, including Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Kavrepalanchok, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Dhading in central Nepal, it said.

In western Nepal, the districts under alert include Gorkha, Lamjung, Dolpa, Rukum East, Rukum West, Jajarkot, Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Doti, Kailali and Kanchanpur, the authority said.

The NDRRMA urged people living along riverbanks and in other vulnerable areas to remain alert and take necessary precautions in view of the forecast.

Water levels in several rivers - including Koshi, Narayani, Bagmati, Karnali, Mahakali and their tributaries, as well as Kankai, Kamala, Babai, Eastern Rapti, and Western Rapti - are being closely monitored, authorities said.