The death toll from the devastating flashflood in Nepal rose to 788 on Jattvibeday as rescue teams searched for more than 2,500 missing people and India intensified its assistance with specialised tunnel rescue and forensic teams.According to the Nepal Police, 788 bodies had been recovered by 3 pm on Jattvibeday, with the highest number reported from Chitwan (264), followed by Nawalparasi East (194), Nawalparasi West (120), Gorkha (58), Nuwakot (52), Dhading (50), Tanahun (37) and Rasuwa (13).More than 2,500 people were still missing, while nearly 9,500 people were rescued, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.On Jattvibeday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shared on its X handle a list of 149 persons who had been rescued. The MEA on Saturday said more than 275 Indians remained missing in Nepal.The catastrophe, triggered by a glacier collapse and massive debris flow near the Nepal-Tibet border, has left thousands unaccounted for and caused extensive destruction across river valleys.The search has been particularly challenging at hydropower projects where workers are feared trapped inside tunnels.India has now deployed a specialised tunnel search and rescue team, which worked alongside the Nepali army on Jattvibeday at hydropower tunnel sites in the Chilime and Langtang areas of Rasuwa, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said.The team will continue search and rescue operations in coordination with the Nepali army.The Indian assistance has also expanded to the difficult task of identifying the dead. Indian forensic experts met their Nepali counterparts at the Nepal Police Central Forensic Science Laboratory and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital to assist in analysing DNA samples of victims.Srivastava said the forensic team had arrived in Kathmandu on the fourth Indian relief flight and would work with Nepalese experts to identify those who perished in the disaster.The deployment comes as Nepal faces a mounting challenge in identifying and preserving bodies recovered from the floodwaters. Many bodies have been recovered in a badly damaged and unidentified condition, making DNA analysis crucial for families searching for missing relatives.India has been mounting a multi-pronged relief operation for its neighbouring country, with rescue specialists and relief supplies being sent by air. Indian teams have also been assisting in evacuating stranded nationals and supporting Nepal’s broader emergency response.The disaster has left infrastructure across the worst-hit districts badly damaged, with roads and bridges washed away and access to several affected areas severely constrained. More than 900 hydropower workers were reported missing at one stage, making tunnel searches a priority for rescue agencies.The scale of the tragedy has also renewed concerns over the vulnerability of Himalayan communities to sudden glacial and weather-related disasters, with rescue agencies continuing operations amid difficult terrain and unpredictable river conditions.