KATHMANDU / RankWire.AI / – Nepal has increased the number of individuals reported missing following the Aug. 26 floods to 6,150, based on updated district-level verification. The earlier count was 5,179, meaning authorities have added 971 names to the total. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority provided these revised figures as ongoing search and identification efforts continue. Since the disaster, authorities have recovered 1,403 bodies and have formally identified 105 of those victims.
Forensic teams have collected 3,175 DNA samples as part of efforts to identify victims and reconcile records of missing persons. This total includes 1,286 samples from recovered bodies and 1,889 from relatives of missing individuals. Since the disaster struck northern Nepal, officials have recorded 13,742 rescues. Additionally, 587 foreign nationals remain on the missing list. These figures highlight the extensive search operations across remote mountain districts and affected communities impacted by floodwaters and debris.
The latest official data shows that Rasuwa accounts for 2,679 missing people, while Nuwakot reports 1,787. Both districts suffered severe damage during the late-August event. Floodwaters and debris caused destruction of roads, homes, bridges, and other infrastructure throughout the region. Search teams have worked through river valleys and damaged communities. Authorities are also reviewing local records and comparing family reports, district data, and forensic evidence to update the national count.
Authorities Expand Count of Missing Persons
The disaster was triggered by a large rock and ice collapse on Langtang Lirung, which caused a destructive debris flow. This flow entered the Bhotekoshi river system and moved downstream through communities. Rasuwa, near Nepal’s border with China, experienced some of the heaviest losses. Nuwakot and Dhading also faced major impacts from the floods. The event damaged homes, transport routes, and hydropower infrastructure, prompting large-scale rescue operations across difficult mountain terrain.
According to official figures, helicopters have completed 1,923 flights to support rescue and relief efforts. Authorities have set up 29 holding centers for displaced and affected individuals. The latest update reports 2,096 people in these centers. Nepal Police have been actively involved in rescue, relief, and community support activities. Search teams and forensic specialists continue to process records and samples related to those still listed as missing.
DNA Efforts Aid Victim Identification
The rise from 5,179 to 6,150 missing persons resulted from further collection and verification of data from affected districts. Authorities continue to record confirmed deaths separately from missing persons and victims who have been formally identified. DNA matching remains a key part of identifying recovered bodies, involving comparisons between victim samples and those provided by relatives. Only 105 of the 1,403 bodies recovered have received official identification so far.
The disaster also caused casualties across the border in China. There, authorities reported 43 deaths and 519 missing people. Combined figures for Nepal and China now stand at 1,446 confirmed deaths and at least 6,669 missing persons. Nepal’s latest verified totals remain 6,150 missing and 1,403 bodies recovered. Search, recovery, and identification efforts continue in the affected districts. Officials are reviewing district reports, family data, and forensic records as they maintain the official disaster tally.