Nepal continues to battle one of its worst natural disasters as the death toll from the devastating flash floods has climbed to 547, while authorities warn that another wave of flooding could strike due to rising water levels in the Bhotekoshi River. Officials are closely monitoring two upstream lakes after reports that a dammed lake near the Nepal-Tibet border has begun overflowing. Rescue operations have resumed in affected areas but remain difficult because of damaged roads, destroyed bridges and the continuing risk of fresh floods. Early assessments suggest the disaster may have been triggered by the collapse of a high-altitude glacier.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that 320 Indian nationals remain missing, while around 400 others are stranded on the Chinese side of the border. So far, 96 Indians have safely crossed back into Nepal, and Indian authorities are coordinating rescue and evacuation efforts through the Embassy in Kathmandu. Nepal has thanked the international community for its support but said its own agencies are currently leading search and rescue operations. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his Cabinet have pledged one month’s salary to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

The disaster has also caused severe disruption across the region. In Tibet, Chinese authorities have reported 5 deaths and 558 people missing, while thousands of tourists have been evacuated from border areas. More than 90,000 people are believed to have been affected by the floods, according to the Red Cross, with over 100 workers still trapped inside a hydropower tunnel in Nepal. Cross-border trade has been hit, long queues of cargo trucks have formed at the India-Nepal border, and emergency teams continue searching for survivors as fears of further flooding remain high.