Kathmandu: Flash floods and landslides across the Himalayan border region of Nepal and China’s autonomous region of Tibet have resulted in the deaths of at least 682 individuals, with nearly 3,000 people, including several hundred tourists, reported missing. The casualty toll is anticipated to rise as rescue operations continue in the affected areas.
According to France24.com, Nepal’s disaster agency reported on Saturday that 2,426 people are missing on the Nepalese side of the border, while China’s Xinhua news agency confirmed early Saturday that 554 individuals are missing in Tibet, with seven casualties reported. Consequently, the total number of missing individuals stands at 2,980. Among those unaccounted for, Nepal’s disaster agency highlighted that 517 foreigners, potentially both tourists and foreign workers, remain missing. On the Chinese side, officials estimate 260 foreigners are unaccounted for.
Further updates from Nepal’s disaster agency on Saturday confirmed at least 675 fatalities within Nepa
l, contributing to a combined death toll of 682. The Nepal Tourism Board reported that 149 Nepalese tourists are missing, though the disaster agency suggests a lower figure of 127.
Chinese authorities disclosed that nearly 100 Chinese nationals are missing in Nepal, a figure that contrasts with the Nepal Tourism Board’s report, which accounted for eight Chinese unaccounted for and 16 rescued. Meanwhile, 554 remain missing in Tibet, according to Xinhua.
The impact on foreign nationals includes 98 Indians missing, with 85 rescued, and 90 Americans unaccounted for, three of whom have been rescued, according to the U.S. State Department. The Nepal Tourism Board lists 65 Americans still missing. Ukrainian authorities revised their missing person figures upwards to 62, while the Nepal Tourism Board states 51 Ukrainians are unaccounted for.
Other nationalities affected include Australians, with 41 individuals missing, as stated by Assistant Immigration Minister Matt Thistlethwaite. Additionally, 33 people from th
e United Kingdom, 29 Latvians, 25 Canadians, nine South Koreans, nine Singaporeans, eight Germans, nine Russians, and numerous others from various countries remain missing, as detailed by the Nepal Tourism Board and respective foreign ministries.
As rescue efforts persist in the region, the numbers of those missing and affected continue to fluctuate, reflecting the ongoing challenges faced in the aftermath of the devastating natural disaster.