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Search and rescue teams in Nepal have recovered 469 bodies as of Friday morning following flash floods that struck the country on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

The statement, cited by China’s Xinhua News Agency, said as many as 1,545 people had been rescued so far, while search and relief operations remained underway across all affected areas.

According to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 977 people were still missing as of 10 p.m. local time on Thursday.

Authorities attributed the disaster to an earthquake followed by a landslide, which sent huge volumes of mountain water toward the Bhote Koshi River, triggering devastating flooding.

Rescue teams continue to search through the debris under difficult conditions that are hampering access to the worst-hit areas.

//Petra// MF