Nepal’s death toll due to floods rises to 1,295; two workers rescued alive from tunnel after 9 days

The death toll due to flash floods in Nepal rose to 1,295 on Friday (September 4, 2026) as more bodies were recovered from the affected areas, while two men were rescued alive from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project after being trapped for nine days.The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal, leaving a trail of destruction.So far, 1,293 bodies have been recovered from eight different districts across Nepal. These include 359 bodies recovered in Chitwan district, 221 in Nawalparasi East, 212 in Nawalparasi West and 186 in Nuwakot.Nepal flash floods aftermath updates on September 4, 2026Similarly, 140 bodies were recovered in Rasuwa, 72 in Gorkha, 65 in Dhading and 38 from Tanahu, according to Nepal Police.

With two victims of the flood dying in two different hospitals in Kathmandu on Friday (September 4, 2026), the death toll has risen to 1,295.

The joint command of security forces is actively conducting search and rescue operations for the estimated 5,000 missing. So far, 13,093 people have been rescued from the affected areas.

The two men rescued alive from the tunnel were identified as Kabir Maharjan, 45, a mechanical supervisor on the project, and Sanjay Sah, 30, a foreman, according to the Public Relations Directorate of the Nepal Army.Maharjan was flown to Nepal Army Hospital in Chhauni, Kathmandu, and his condition is said to be critical, while Sah is under treatment at the Trishuli hospital in Nuwakot, according to Raja Ram Basnet, Nepali Army spokesperson.Mr. Sah, who is from Saptari district in Madhesh province, told security personnel that he was chanting ‘Hare Krishna’ mantra for the last nine days while trapped inside the tunnel.“I was chanting Hare Krishna mahamantra for the past nine days,” he said, briefly talking about the incident soon after he was taken out safely.Maharjan’s wife said her husband, who is from Kathmandu, had been given a “second life” and thanked rescuers who risked their lives to save him.“He has returned with a second life. We are extremely happy,” his wife, Hira Shobha, was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post. “We had been waiting. I am now going to the hospital to see my husband.” Meanwhile, the sixth and seventh relief flights from India carrying 21.5 tonnes of relief materials arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday (September 3, 2026) night.“India’s support to Nepal’s relief efforts for Rasuwa flash flood continues: 6th and 7th relief flights [C-130Js] arrived in Kathmandu tonight carrying 21.5 tonnes of relief assistance, including forensic kits and medical supplies,” India’s Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said in a post on X.“These materials were handed over to Nepal, and will help strengthen ongoing Nepali relief and rescue efforts and support communities affected by Rasuwa floods,” he added.Around 600 children remain unaccounted for in Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.An estimated 280 children are missing in Rasuwa, and between 300 and 350 others remain unaccounted for in the neighbouring Nuwakot in central Nepal, the Kathmandu Post newspaper reported, citing figures compiled by local Education Development and Coordination Units (EDCUs), local governments, and educational institutions.Surya Bahadur Khatri, head of the Nuwakot Education Development and Coordination Unit, said, “We are actively liaising with headmasters to collect verified data on missing students, though school heads are struggling to provide exact figures due to broken communications.” “Although a few missing students have been located, new reports of unaccounted-for children continue to arrive from various schools. We estimate that at least 300 pupils are missing in our district.” In Bidur Municipality of Nuwakot alone, roughly 250 children have been missing since the floods hit, according to Navaraj Sapkota, school inspector of the municipality’s education unit.“The situation on the ground is deeply distressing. In some cases, we have located surviving parents who cannot find their children, while in other instances, surviving students are searching for missing parents,” said Mr. Sapkota.Bidur houses 170 educational institutions—142 community schools and 28 private schools.News in Frames: Hope hangs in the skiesA trail of ruin: The remains of homes and other buildings are seen buried under mud and debris in a flood-hit area of Nepal.Clearing the way: Rescue workers and heavy machinery clear mud and debris in a flood-hit area of Nepal, after a devastating flash flood swept through villages in the northern part of the country.Temporary refuge: A woman feeds a child at a relief camp in Nuwakot. Nepal’s disaster authority said 4,451 people had been rescued so far and search operations are still on.Emergency care: Nepali Army doctors treat a woman at a field hospital in Battar, Nuwakot, after she was rescued from the Bhotekoshi flood.Into the field: Nepali Army rescue personnel head towards an airstrip near Nuwakot as teams remain on alert for further flooding after a debris dam burst on August 28.A long wait: Relatives search lists of missing people outside a hospital in Battar, Nuwakot, on August 28; at least 2,426 people remain missing.Rescue under way: A helicopter flies rescue missions in Rasuwa district of Nepal where many people have been stranded.Seeking answers: Relatives give the names of missing family members to officials as the search for survivors continues; among those out of contact are hundreds of foreign nationals.Tears of relief: A woman becomes emotional at a Nepali Army camp in Nuwakot after being rescued, as her injured husband is taken to Kathmandu for treatment. Her family, originally from western Nepal, ran a hotel in Rasuwa.1/3In Rasuwa, Durga Prasad Silwal, chief of the local education unit, said that official verification is ongoing, but preliminary records indicate that 280 students are currently missing across the district.The disaster has also taken a toll on teachers and school staff. Education units confirmed that 22 teachers and school staff members remain missing across both districts.Additionally, several teachers from Dhading and Gorkha who had travelled to Rasuwa for pilgrimage were caught in the deluge and remain missing.