Rescue teams in Nepal have recovered four additional bodies from a tunnel at the Chilime Hydropower plant as search efforts continue nearly three weeks after a catastrophic flash flood devastated the region. The flood, which struck on August 26 along the Trishuli River, claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands missing.

On Wednesday, Nepal’s army reported the recovery of the four bodies from the Chilime Hydropower plant site. Separately, Nepal’s disaster management agency stated that five more bodies had been located nearby and that equipment was being mobilized to recover them. Since the flooding, authorities have retrieved a total of 1,403 bodies, while 6,150 people remain unaccounted for, according to figures from Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

The flood damaged 13 hydropower plants in the area, trapping numerous workers in tunnels and beneath debris. The search for those still missing remains a government priority, though rescue operations have been hampered by thick mud, debris, and damaged infrastructure that have made accessing the tunnels extremely challenging.

Families of the missing have intensified pressure on the government to accelerate rescue and recovery efforts. Many have organized rallies and urged authorities to officially declare the missing individuals deceased to facilitate death certificates, which are necessary for legal processes, religious ceremonies, and providing closure. At Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, photos of hundreds of missing persons cover the lobby walls as relatives seek information about their loved ones.

One family searching for answers is that of Usha Khatri, whose husband, Indra Bahadur, was working as a cook for a group of pilgrims near the Nepal-China border when the flood struck. Since the disaster, Khatri has been traveling along the river's path, visiting towns where bodies have been recovered in hope of finding her husband. She expressed frustration at the lack of government communication and support, stating she has received no official updates or reassurances.

Among the rare successes in the rescue efforts, two Nepali workers were found alive on September 4, more than a week after the flood. One day later, rescuers pulled a Chinese worker alive from a different location.

The authorities continue to focus on reaching the trapped workers, despite the difficult conditions, as search and recovery operations proceed.