Himalayan Glacier Collapse Kills 797, Leaves 3,048 Missing as Nepal Starts Mass Burials
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 30
Himalayan Glacier Collapse Kills 797, Leaves 3,048 Missing as Nepal Starts Mass Burials
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 30
Summary
Nepal raised its death toll to 781 on Sunday and China reported 16 dead, taking the cross-border total to 797, with 3,048 people still missing.
A glacier at about 5,200 metres collapsed on Wednesday, plunged roughly 1,200 metres and slammed into the Lende River, unleashing water, rock and debris through Himalayan villages.
Rescue operations have been repeatedly suspended since Friday because of bad weather and fears of fresh flooding from a new lake straddling the Nepal-China border that is now overflowing into Nepal's rivers.
Nepal began burying unidentified victims after collecting DNA samples, while more than 100 workers are believed trapped in hydropower tunnels and about 90,000 people are likely affected.
India, China and South Korea have sent specialist rescue teams, while Malaysia pledged $1 million, the EU $2.3 million and the IFRC launched a $31 million emergency appeal.