US President Donald Trump has offered Nepal “any help” following Wednesday’s devastating Bhotekoshi flood, as search and rescue teams continue to search flood-hit valleys and downstream riverbanks for hundreds of people still missing.

Trump made the offer on Thursday while speaking to reporters at the White House, describing the disaster as “terrible”, according to Firstpost. He said the United States had contacted Nepal and offered assistance.

“We’re sending aid,” Trump said, adding that Washington had spoken to Nepal’s leadership and told it the United States would provide whatever help was needed. “We let them know anything they want, we’ll have,” he said.

Trump’s remarks came as the death toll from the flood reached 469 on Friday morning, according to Nepal Police. Hundreds of people remain missing, while search and rescue operations continue across northern and central Nepal.

90 Americans unaccounted for

Firstpost also reported that the US State Department was tracking 90 Americans who remained unaccounted for following the flood. Three had been rescued, while the department said it had no reports of US fatalities.

“We’re currently tracking 90 Americans who may be impacted by the flood, currently unaccounted for,” a State Department spokesperson said.

The department said on Wednesday that it was sending a disaster response adviser to the region and providing $500,000 in assistance.

The flood struck Rasuwa and neighbouring districts in northern Nepal on Wednesday morning, sending a powerful surge of water and debris into the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers. It swept away homes, bridges, roads and other infrastructure and left communities and travellers in some areas cut off.

The flood has killed 475 people and left hundreds missing, although the scale of the disaster remains unclear as authorities continue to reconcile casualty and missing-person reports from different districts.

Large numbers of tourists and trekkers are among those missing. The Nepal Tourism Board said on Thursday night that 667 tourists and travellers, including 127 Nepalis, remained unaccounted for in flood-affected areas.

The board is verifying the whereabouts of people who were in or travelling through Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading when the flood struck.

The Tourism Board, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, tourist police and other tourism-sector agencies are collecting information on missing travellers and coordinating with travel agencies, trekking companies, guides, local authorities and security agencies.

The Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed for search, rescue and evacuation operations. Helicopters have been used to reach isolated areas and evacuate survivors, while ground teams continue searching riverbanks and downstream settlements.

The flood has also severely damaged roads, bridges and other infrastructure, complicating access to affected communities and slowing the rescue effort.

Bodies have been recovered far downstream from the worst-hit areas. Remains from Rasuwa and Nuwakot have been recovered in Nuwakot and as far downstream as Dhading, Chitwan, Tanahun, Nawalparasi and other areas, overwhelming morgues and forcing authorities to establish temporary facilities.

The cause of the sudden and destructive surge is still being investigated. The flood struck with little warning in the Himalayan foothills before rushing through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river system, leaving people in vulnerable areas little time to escape.