Nepal has 'no hope' of finding survivors after massive landslide

Nepalese officials said Sunday they were not optimistic that more survivors would be found after a deadly landslide Saturday in the country's Sindhupalchok district.

"It has been over 24 hours that people would have been buried in mud," Yadav Prasad Koirala, disaster management head, told AFP. "We have no hope of finding anyone alive."

Villagers said more than 100 people were missing in the landslide, while the government pegged the number at 155. Rescue crews recovered eight bodies Saturday, but heavy rainfall hampered the search effort and sparked fears of downriver flooding. The landlside blocked part of the Sunkoshi river, forcing the government to try to clear the obstruction with explosives.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up