Rescue operations continue in Nepal after an unprecedented deluge of ice, rock, mud and debris swept through valleys last Wednesday. The death toll now stands at 903, with 16 reported dead on the Tibet side of the border. More than 4,000 people are missing in Nepal and another 500 in Tibet. Hundreds of bodies, many unidentified, have been buried in shallow graves.
Nepal's prime minister, Balendra Shah, said almost 21,000 security personnel were involved in the rescue operations, supported by civilian workers and volunteers. China's state-run CCTV reported that Beijing had mobilised more than 2,100 rescue workers. The Red Cross has estimated that more than 90,000 people are likely to have been affected by the disaster, which China and some experts have linked to the effects of the climate crisis.
The disaster has also prompted a racism row in Australia. A slew of racist social media comments have been directed towards missing Australians, most of whom were on pilgrimages including to Mount Kailash in Tibet. Mainstream media outlets including News Corp, Channel 7, Channel 10 and Nine have been hit with highly offensive and discriminatory comments on Facebook articles identifying the missing Australians.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that Iran's energy hub of Kharg Island was being 'blown to smithereens' but gave no further details. The White House and the US defense department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Attacking Kharg, which handled 90% of Iran's oil exports before the war, would severely disrupt the Islamic republic's energy trade and put huge pressure on its economy.