Five more Indian nationals, missing in the Nepal floods, have been rescued since yesterday, taking the total number of rescued citizens to 163, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Tuesday.
The MEA said that till 7:30 PM on Tuesday, 163 people were rescued, while 151 nationals who were stranded in China after the floods left the country.
Tunnel team's status
Speaking about the tunnel rescue team, the MEA stated that the team was able to move deeper and the efforts will continue on Wednesday to rescue any individual who may be trapped inside.
"After establishing a foothold at hydropower tunnels in Chilime, the Indian tunnel rescue team had to overcome several challenges such as extremely restricted access space, limitations on use of specialised equipment due to terrain, and a marshy tunnel floor. Using innovative methods and improvised floats, the team was able to move deeper in the tunnel. Its efforts will continue tomorrow to try and rescue any individuals that may be trapped inside," the MEA stated. Nearly 300 people are reportedly trapped inside tunnels.
On the forensic team, the MEA states, "The forensic team from India expanded its activities today in coordination with its counterparts from Nepal, to undertake tasks such as examination of DNA and analysis. This will help expedite the processing of DNA samples in Nepal."
Nepal floods updates
The death toll from the devastating floods crossed 1,000 on Tuesday. The death toll reached 1,050, while about 4,000 people remain missing, including 583 foreign nationals.
At least 639 people remain stranded in devastated hydropower stations that have become the focus of rescue efforts, Nepal's disaster management authority said on Tuesday.
As per a preliminary estimate by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the disaster has left at least 2.2 million tons of debris, including parts of buildings, rocks, and sediment.
So far, over 11,000 people have been rescued since the flash floods swept the country on August 28. The power and communication lines were also restored in some areas, Nepal PM Balen Shah said in a social media post.