New Delhi, Aug 29: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday stated that four more Indian nationals were rescued from a hydropower project in Nepal’s Rasuwa, bringing the total number of rescued Indian nationals to 88.

The ministry confirmed that the rescued individuals are Ripu Kumar, Chaneshwar Narzary, Kripa Shankar and Mohammed Minhajuddin.

The MEA also stated that 120 Indian nationals crossed into Nepal from China on Saturday.

It mentioned that 287 Indian nationals still remain missing and 128 persons of Indian origin also remain missing as of 5 pm on Saturday.

A six-member forensic experts team from India is expected to reach Kathmandu on Saturday to assist in the analysis of DNA samples for identification of mortal remains.

“A specialised technical team for tunnel rescue reconnaissance reached Kathmandu yesterday and started working from today to assist in tunnel rescue in the impacted area. Based on their recommendation, a specialised tunnel rescue team from India with equipment is expected to reach Nepal today,” MEA stated.

Meanwhile, Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Saturday expressed gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu for her concern and the support extended by the government of India following the devastating flash floods in Nepal that left hundreds dead and caused widespread destruction.

“On behalf of the Government and the people of Nepal, I extend our deepest gratitude to Your Excellency Smt Droupadi Murmu for your kind concern and also for the generous support and solidarity extended by your government following the recent calamity in Nepal,” the Office of the President of Nepal posted on X.

Paudel also conveyed condolences over the tragic loss of Indian lives in the aftermath of the catastrophic flood on Wednesday.

“We also offer our heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Government and the people of India for the tragic loss of Indian lives in the disaster of August 26, 2026,” he stated.

Mumbai, Aug 29: Massive, state-led rescue and evacuation operations have secured the return of 106 tourists from Maharashtra who were stranded across disaster-hit regions of Nepal, with another 84 people expected to reach home ground on Saturday.

Affected by flash floods triggered by sudden glacier and ice-rock collapses along the Nepal-China border, the first contingent of 106 citizens crossed back into India on Friday, with another 84 expected to reach home ground on Saturday.

​Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis held a video conference with several of the returning citizens to assess their condition.

During the call, tourists expressed their gratitude to the Maharashtra Government and the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) for their swift coordination and prompt intervention.

​Addressing the citizens, CM Fadnavis emphasised that the timely rescue operations were made possible through the direct intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar, ensuring inter-country diplomatic support and relief delivery on the ground. ​

Government agencies are actively tracking and facilitating the safe movement of tourists originating from multiple Maharashtra districts — including Raigad, Ahilyanagar, Nashik, Pune, Mumbai, and Nagpur.

All 106 tourists from the Nagpur district have been accounted for and are safe. Four individuals were flown directly to New Delhi, while the remaining 102 travelled by bus to Patna, Bihar. The group stayed overnight in Patna before boarding a Nagpur-bound train at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday.

A 45-member tour group organised by Sangamner-based operator Darshan Gunjal—comprising 27 individuals from Ahilyanagar, 12 from Nashik, 5 from Pune, and 1 from Mumbai—reached safety in Chitwan, Nepal. Due to severe road blockades along direct routes to Kathmandu, the group detoured through Lumbini to cross into India via Ayodhya on Saturday.

A 37-member pilgrimage group organised by the Jai Girnari Shivdutta Mandir Trust in Raigad reached Saga, China. Assisted by two accompanying doctors, all members are in good health. The group manoeuvred through alternative mountain routes to Kathmandu Airport to catch their scheduled flight back to India on Saturday.

Active ground efforts by the State Disaster Management Department continue to secure 11 tourists from Nashik currently located in Kathmandu.

In response to the severe flooding, the Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has established a 24X7 War Room at the state secretariat in Mumbai.

Citizens seeking urgent updates or reporting stranded relatives can contact the toll-free helpline at 1070.

District Collectors across the state have been instructed to collect real-time data through digital geo tracking from both urban and rural local bodies.

Affected citizens or their families are urged to submit exact location details via the specialised portal at https://geospatial.mahaseoc.in/Sahayata_gulf.

State authorities continue to monitor real-time developments in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and local Nepalese administrations to ensure every remaining citizen returns safely.

Kathmandu, Aug 28: Nepal Police said they had arrested two men for allegedly stealing gold earrings from the body of a woman who was swept downstream into the Narayani River during devastating floods in the country.

After a video showing the incident went viral on social media and sparked widespread outrage, police arrested the suspects after identifying them through an examination of the video. The footage showed two men pulling the woman’s body from the river before allegedly removing earrings from both her ears.

Nepal Police later shared a video, saying that the men allegedly involved in stealing the earrings from the dead woman had been taken into custody. A police official from the District Police Office, Chitwan, Suraj Budha, said the duo were arrested on Thursday.

According to a statement from the District Police Office, Chitwan, Madan Bhujel, 25, and Umesh Chaudhary, 38, both temporarily residing at Bharatpur Metropolitan City, in southern Chitwan district, were arrested near Pokhara Bus Park of the city.

Police also shared the video of the alleged theft and informed the public that the suspects had been arrested. In the viral video previously shared on social media, two men can be seen using wooden planks and the woman’s hair to pull her body out of the water. They then appear to remove earrings from both ears and place them aside. Several people can be seen standing around the scene, with some recording the incident on their phones.

Chitwan Police said their investigation established that the body had been swept away by the deadly floods that wreaked havoc in parts of the country and was carried into the Narayani River in the southern plains.

Police described the incident as an inhuman act at a time when people are suffering from the disaster. The arrests came as Nepal continues a massive search-and-rescue operation. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 478 people had been confirmed dead in the disaster by Friday noon, while 977 remained out of contact.

Meanwhile, Nepali authorities on Friday issued a fresh warning about the risk of another flood, stating that they had received a report of a lake outburst in the Tibetan region of China that could trigger fresh flooding in Nepal.