The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has risen to 1,344, as rescue operations continue across eight affected districts. Around 5,000 people remain missing, while more than 13,000 have been rescued so far.
In a remarkable rescue, a 60-year-old woman was found alive after spending 10 days trapped beneath the debris of a four-storey house in Nuwakot district. She was rescued and taken to a hospital for treatment.
Nepal has also begun using DNA testing to identify victims, as many of the bodies recovered from the disaster have been severely damaged. Officials said only 96 bodies have so far been identified and handed over to their families.
Of the bodies recovered in the eight affected districts, 758 were adults and 85 were children. Another 501 were recovered with body parts missing, which officials attributed to prolonged exposure to floodwaters and the pressure of heavy debris.
The disaster has also reportedly claimed at least 21 lives on the Chinese side of the border, while more than 500 people remain missing in Tibet.
The flash floods were triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, causing widespread destruction across northern and central Nepal. Homes, roads, bridges and hydropower projects were badly damaged.
Rescue teams from Nepal, India and China are continuing joint operations, including efforts to reach people trapped inside tunnels at flood-hit hydropower projects.
