A week after catastrophic flash floods struck the Nepal-China border region, more than 11,000 people have been rescued, but thousands remain missing or unaccounted for as search operations continue.
Officials say they are not giving up, and rescue efforts remain active on the ground. Many families, however, say they are losing hope of finding their loved ones and have begun using effigies and photographs to put missing family members to rest.
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Others say they are still hoping for a miracle — including families of 900 workers believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels in Nepal. Rescue teams and foreign specialist crews have been working for days to clear the tunnels of thick mud. It remains unclear how many of the trapped workers are still alive.
Nepal's government has called last week's flood a catastrophic Himalayan tsunami, saying the country has not seen anything like it in recent memory.
A new alert has been issued in some of the hardest-hit areas. Officials warn that with more rain in the forecast, rivers could overflow and trigger additional flash flooding. Many residents returning to their villages and towns say nothing remains of their former lives.
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Authorities estimate around 20,000 houses will need to be rebuilt in safer locations, as Nepal faces a massive recovery and rebuilding effort in one of the world's poorest countries.
