KATHMANDU / RankWire.AI / – Nepal has updated its count of missing persons following the Aug. 26 floods to 6,150 after thorough district-level verification. The previous figure was 5,179, so authorities have added 971 names to the national total. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority shared the revised data as search and identification efforts persisted. Since the disaster, authorities have recovered 1,403 bodies and officially identified 105 of the victims.
Forensic teams have gathered 3,175 DNA samples as officials work to identify victims and reconcile records of the missing. The total includes 1,286 samples from recovered bodies and 1,889 from relatives of missing persons. Authorities also report having rescued 13,742 individuals since the disaster struck northern Nepal. Meanwhile, 587 foreign nationals remain on the missing persons list. These figures highlight the extensive effort underway to locate victims across remote mountain districts and affected communities impacted by floodwaters and debris.
Rasuwa now accounts for 2,679 missing people in the official tally, while Nuwakot reports 1,787. Both districts suffered severe damage during the late-August event, with floodwaters and debris destroying roads, settlements, bridges, and vital infrastructure. Search teams continue to operate through river valleys and damaged communities as authorities cross-reference local records. They compare family reports, district data, and forensic evidence to update the national figures.
Authorities Broaden the Count of Missing Persons
The disaster was triggered by a massive collapse of rock and ice on Langtang Lirung, which set off a destructive debris flow. This flow entered the Bhotekoshi river system and moved downstream through populated areas. Rasuwa, located near Nepal’s border with China, experienced some of the heaviest losses. Nuwakot and Dhading also suffered major impacts, with flooding damaging homes, transport routes, and hydropower infrastructure, prompting large-scale rescue efforts in challenging mountain terrain.
According to the latest official figures, helicopters completed 1,923 flights supporting rescue and relief activities. Authorities set up 29 relief centers for displaced or affected individuals, recording 2,096 people in these centers in the most recent update. Nepal Police have played a key role in rescue, relief, and community support across impacted regions. Search crews and forensic specialists continue analyzing records and samples linked to those still listed as missing.
DNA Analysis Aids Victim Identification
The rise from 5,179 to 6,150 missing persons followed ongoing collection and verification of data from affected districts. Authorities are tracking confirmed deaths separately from missing individuals and formally identified victims. DNA matching remains integral to identifying recovered bodies, with officials comparing victim samples to those provided by relatives. As of now, only 105 of the 1,403 recovered bodies have been officially identified in the latest data.
The floods also caused fatalities across the border in China, where authorities have reported 43 deaths and 519 people missing. Combined, Nepal and China now record 1,446 confirmed deaths and at least 6,669 missing persons. Nepal’s current verified totals are 6,150 missing and 1,403 bodies recovered. Search, recovery, and forensic efforts continue across the affected districts as officials review district reports, family data, and forensic evidence to maintain an accurate official record of the disaster.