Aerial images over Nepal’s Trishuli River valley reveal the extraordinary scale of destruction left by catastrophic flash floods and mudflows. Entire sections of villages have been swept away, with roads, bridges and buildings buried under huge amounts of mud and debris.
Nepal’s disaster authorities report that at least 1,252 people have died, while more than 4,200 remain unaccounted for. The numbers highlight the enormous human cost of one of the country’s worst recent disasters.
Rescue teams are continuing operations across the hardest-hit areas, searching for survivors and missing people. Major hydropower projects have also been badly damaged, with workers still unaccounted for inside affected tunnels.
The disaster began after a massive glacial collapse near the Tibet border sent a powerful surge of water, rock and mud down the Trishuli valley. The force of the flooding destroyed critical infrastructure and isolated communities.
For survivors, the focus is now shifting from rescue to recovery. Thousands of families are waiting for news of loved ones, while damaged roads, homes and power facilities will need to be rebuilt. Nepal faces a long and difficult road ahead.
