The death toll from devastating floods in Nepal has risen to 734, while 2,498 people remain missing, the country’s disaster authority said on Sunday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the latest figure represented an increase from the 2,426 people reported missing in its previous update on Saturday.

The missing persons include 589 foreigners, up from 517 previously listed as out of contact.

The authority also said 933 workers at hydropower projects along rivers affected by the floods remained unaccounted for.

Rescue teams have entered the fifth day of search and rescue operations following the devastating floods near Nepal’s border with China.

The disaster was triggered by a torrent of water and debris that swept through communities and infrastructure in the Himalayan region.

The authority said 8,186 people, including 227 foreigners, had so far been rescued.

Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have reported 16 deaths and 546 missing people in Tibet following the same disaster.

The combined death toll in Nepal and Tibet has therefore risen to 750, while more than 3,000 people remain missing.

Rescue operations are continuing, with teams focusing on areas where people are believed to be trapped, including tunnels at hydropower facilities.