Desperate Search Continues as Thousands Remain Missing Following Devastating China-Nepal Floods

A drone view shows houses covered in mud after the flash floods and mudslide, at Devighat, Nuwakot district, Nepal, on Saturday. Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

As Saturday morning arrives in Nepal, the critical 72-hour “golden window” for locating survivors of the natural disaster draws to a close. Distraught families continue to search for information regarding missing relatives following Wednesday’s catastrophic flooding near the China-Nepal border.

Where things stand:
Death toll: According to police on Saturday, 616 people have been killed in Nepal. Approximately 2,500 people, including Americans and other foreigners, remain missing. In an update provided Friday afternoon local time, Chinese state media reported five confirmed deaths and more than 500 people still missing.

Scenes of devastation:
Chinese state media indicated there are no signs of survivors at the border crossing engulfed by the flood wave. In Nepal, health officials reported that residents of a “whole village that seems to have been washed away” are in “dire need of support.”

Flood concerns:
Authorities are actively monitoring a second newly formed lake. Both this body of water and another newly formed lake sit upstream from the site of Wednesday’s catastrophic flash floods. A scientist warned it could be “extremely concerning” if the second lake bursts its banks. Additionally, more rain is forecasted for the flood zone in Nepal over the weekend.

On the ground:
A CNN team on the ground observed helicopters departing from Trishuli barracks, which serves as the nerve center for rescue operations, beginning early Saturday local time. Meanwhile, in Kathmandu, family members spent the night outside a hospital and displayed posters featuring photos of their missing relatives in the hope of obtaining news about their loved ones.