Kathmandu (EFE).- Nepal raised the death toll from Wednesday’s flash floods in the northern and central parts of the country to 939, while the number of missing people fell to 3,925, according to the latest report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) on Monday afternoon.
As of 6:00 pm local time, the report recorded 36 new fatalities in the last few hours and a decrease of 322 in the number of people whose whereabouts are unknown.
Much of the decrease is due to a drop in the number of missing hydroelectric project workers, which fell from 933 to 639. Many of them are believed to have been trapped in underground tunnels. Some 592 foreign nationals remain unaccounted for.
Search and rescue operations continue with over 21,000 security personnel deployed, and humanitarian aid is being sent to those affected.
«So far, food and non-food items have been sent to the affected areas via 37 trucks and 37 Bolero vehicles, in addition to nine helicopter flights carrying these supplies,» stated the NDRRMA.
In a press release, Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal stated that the government is providing financial assistance to the victims through a fund that has received both domestic and international donations.
As of Monday noon, 5.87 billion Nepalese rupees (equivalent to 38.59 million dollars) have been deposited into the accounts of the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and distributed among nine commercial banks.
In addition, 3.19 million dollars were deposited into Himalayan Bank and Laxmi Bank. Several countries and organizations have also expressed their commitment to providing financial assistance,” he explained.
On Monday morning, Nepalese authorities reported a sharp increase in the number of people listed as missing, rising from 2,502 to 4,247 in less than 24 hours due to the gradual restoration of communication in the most isolated districts.
The death toll from the tragedy, including figures from Nepal and Tibet, currently stands at 955 dead and 4,471 missing.EFE
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