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Nepal revises disaster toll to 1,403 dead, 6,150 missing

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 6:12 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Nepal Revises Toll

Nepal’s disaster authority revised the death toll to 1,403 and missing to 6,150.
World Weather Attribution researchers said climate change acted as a destabilising factor in the disaster.
July-August 2026 temperatures were about 5 °C above normal, with 1.5 °C attributed to human influence.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah will address the UN on the disaster and climate justice.
Nepal estimates reconstruction costs at $4.78 bn and seeks UN loss-and-damage aid.

Summary

Researchers Report Thaw

Researchers report the freezing line has risen 100 metres per decade, exposing higher-elevation permafrost.
Monitoring stations at 5,000 metres now record rock that no longer stays frozen year-round.
The Langtang Lirung glacier has retreated half a kilometre since the 1990s, uncovering rock.
Scientists say the 2015 magnitude 7.8 earthquake weakened the slope before the August collapse.
They warn early-warning systems were overwhelmed and recommend expanding monitoring and satellite observation.

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Nepal Revises Toll

Nepal’s disaster authority revised the death toll to 1,403 and missing to 6,150.
World Weather Attribution researchers said climate change acted as a destabilising factor in the disaster.
July-August 2026 temperatures were about 5 °C above normal, with 1.5 °C attributed to human influence.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah will address the UN on the disaster and climate justice.
Nepal estimates reconstruction costs at $4.78 bn and seeks UN loss-and-damage aid.

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