Nepal Floods Leave Thousands Missing as Rebuilding Effort Looms

The devastating floods in Nepal have left behind a trail of destruction and loss. One month after the disaster, the faces on a wall at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu are slowly fading as families wait for news of their loved ones.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 5,285 people remain unaccounted for following the August 26 flood. The authority has confirmed 1,451 deaths so far, with two more fatalities reported during treatment.

The scale of the disaster is massive, with over 70,000 people directly affected and rendered homeless. The settlements on high-lying slopes bordering Tibet have been completely washed out by the intensity of the flood, which accelerated following a sudden glacier burst.

Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah addressed the UNGA last Friday, stating that physical recovery needs are pegged at about 10 percent of GDP. He appealed for international solidarity and support in rebuilding efforts, estimated to cost around Five Billion US Dollars over a decade.