Nepal’s death toll from a series of devastating landslides has climbed to 579, authorities confirmed, as rescue teams continue combing through debris in search of survivors. More than 1,900 people remain missing, raising fears that the final toll could rise further in the days ahead.
The disaster has overwhelmed emergency responders in the Himalayan nation, where steep terrain and monsoon rains often combine to trigger landslides that bury entire villages and cut off roads. Rescue operations have been complicated by the difficult mountainous geography, which limits access for heavy equipment and forces many teams to search by hand.
Local and national authorities are working alongside volunteers to reach isolated communities, deliver aid, and assess the full scope of the damage. The scale of the destruction suggests that recovery efforts, both in locating the missing and rebuilding affected areas, will likely take considerable time.
Nepal has a history of landslides and flooding during its monsoon season, but disasters of this magnitude place significant strain on the country’s infrastructure and emergency services. As search efforts continue, officials are expected to provide updated casualty figures in the coming days.
To read the full original report in Spanish, visit La Jornada’s website.
Image: Grand Canyon NPS, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).