The death toll in Nepal’s devastating flash floods rose to 616 on Saturday, but for families with loved ones still missing, the tragedy has become a desperate wait for answers as rescue teams continue searching through damaged homes, roads and riverbanks across several affected districts.
We were told that the water had risen. The police told us not to go from here and sent us back. “We had received information to go towards Bidur. The water came up quite high here. Our entire family was sleeping in the house. We somehow managed to reach a higher place, but when the water came, we could not even take our belongings out. Police teams and other agencies are continuing search and rescue operations in the affected districts. Teams are clearing roads, reaching damaged homes and looking for people who may still be trapped.
“We have been living in Trishuli for 17 years. Dinesh said the family was near the China border on August 26 when they saw the flood and immediately warned his brothers to run. The family has lived in Trishuli for 17 years.
Officials said the death toll could rise as rescue teams reach more affected areas and continue searching for missing people. In Trishuli, Dinesh and his family have spent the past three days searching for his two missing brothers after floodwaters swept through the area and destroyed their warehouse. We have a scrap business and had a warehouse, which collapsed. Two of our brothers are also missing, and we have not been able to contact them yet. Their business and warehouse were destroyed, but the search for the two brothers remains their biggest concern.
