KATHMANDU / RankWire.AI / – Nepal has updated the tally of missing individuals following the floods on Aug. 26, revealing a total of 6,150 missing persons after comprehensive district-level verification. The count previously stood at 5,179, which means authorities have added 971 names to the national figure. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority provided these revised statistics as search and identification efforts persisted. Since the disaster struck, authorities have recovered 1,403 bodies and have formally identified 105 of those victims.
Forensic teams have collected 3,175 DNA samples to aid in identifying victims and matching missing persons with recovered bodies. This total includes 1,286 samples taken from recovered bodies and 1,889 from relatives of missing individuals. Since the incident, officials have also carried out 13,742 rescues in northern Nepal. Meanwhile, 587 foreign nationals are still listed as missing. These figures highlight the extensive search operations across remote mountain districts and communities impacted by floodwaters and debris, reflecting the widespread scale of the ongoing rescue efforts.
In the latest official breakdown, Rasuwa accounts for 2,679 missing persons, while Nuwakot reports 1,787. Both districts endured significant destruction during the late-August flood. Infrastructure such as roads, homes, bridges, and other critical facilities suffered severe damage throughout the region. Search crews have been working through river valleys and devastated communities, while authorities continually review local records. They are cross-referencing family reports, district data, and forensic evidence to update the national missing persons count accurately.
Authorities Broaden the Missing Person Count
The flood catastrophe originated from a massive collapse of rock and ice on Langtang Lirung, which triggered a destructive debris flow. This flow entered the Bhotekoshi river system and traveled downstream through affected communities. Rasuwa, near Nepal’s border with China, experienced some of the most substantial losses. Nuwakot and Dhading also reported major impacts from the flooding, which damaged homes, transportation routes, and hydropower infrastructure. The event prompted large-scale rescue operations across rugged mountain terrain, complicating efforts to reach affected populations.
According to official figures, helicopters have conducted 1,923 sorties supporting rescue and relief activities. Additionally, authorities established 29 centers to accommodate displaced or affected individuals, with the latest update recording 2,096 people in these holding facilities. Nepal Police has played a vital role in assisting rescue operations, relief distribution, and community support efforts across impacted zones. Search teams and forensic experts continue analyzing records and samples related to people still listed as missing.
DNA Testing Aids Victim Identification Processes
The rise from 5,179 to 6,150 missing persons results from ongoing collection and validation of information from affected districts. Authorities are still differentiating confirmed deaths from those missing, and formal victim identifications are ongoing. DNA matching remains a key part of the process for recovered bodies, with officials comparing victims’ samples to those provided by relatives. As of now, only 105 out of the 1,403 bodies recovered have received official identification in the latest data update.
The disaster has also caused casualties across the border in China, where authorities reported 43 deaths and 519 missing persons. The combined figures for Nepal and China stand at 1,446 confirmed deaths and at least 6,669 missing individuals. Nepal’s latest verified totals remain 6,150 missing and 1,403 bodies recovered. Efforts to locate, recover, and identify victims continue across the affected districts, with authorities reviewing district reports, family information, and forensic data to maintain an accurate official record of the disaster.