Nepal floods test PM Balen's young government

Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah , an ex-rapper popularly known as "Balen," is facing the enormous task of rebuilding communities and critical infrastructure following last week's deadly flash floods .

The floods, carrying rock, ice, mud and debris, swept through areas near the Chinese border, ravaging entire towns and damaging hydropower plants.

More than 900 people have been confirmed dead and nearly 4,800 remain missing , authorities said Monday, as rescue efforts entered a sixth day.

The devastating floods struck the Himalayan nation just days before the anniversary of the Gen-Z-led anti-corruption protests of September 8-9, 2025 that toppled the previous government and swept Shah to power.

Now, the 36-year-old prime minister and his largely inexperienced cabinet face their first major national crisis in what is shaping up to be the country's worst disaster in a decade.

Rescuers, including Chinese and Indian experts, believe hundreds of workers are trapped in tunnels at hydropower sites under construction that were buried in mud by the catastrophic flooding .

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Sushila Giri was waiting for news of her son, Sishir, a Kathmandu University student completing an internship at one of the hydropower projects.