The death toll from the Nepal flash flood rose to 95 as rescue operations progressed, with hundreds of tourists and locals still missing hours after the tragedy struck the Himalayan border region of Nepal and Tibet at 9 am on Wednesday. Search and rescue teams have been deployed across the affected areas, though inclement weather and disrupted communications have made operations difficult.
The number of missing tourists has climbed to 579, according to the latest figures confirmed by Nepali police. Of the missing tourists, 466 are foreign nationals from 28 different countries. Of the total missing, 113 are Nepalese, 54 are from the US, and the number of missing UK nationals stands at 33.
Earlier, the Nepal Tourism Board had said 403 people were missing, including 61 Nepalese nationals and 341 foreign nationals. The missing foreign nationals at that time included 133 from India, 47 from the US, and 33 from the UK, the board had said.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah said in a social media post that the entire nation is shocked and deeply distressed by the loss of life and damage to property caused by the sudden and massive disaster. He said the government had immediately mobilised all its resources for rescue operations without delay.
Riverside Settlements in Rasuwa and Nuwakot Districts Hardest Hit
The flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River swept through settlements across Rasuwa and neighbouring districts, with riverside settlements in Rasuwa and Nuwakot bearing the brunt of the destruction. Krishna Prasad Humagain, Nuwakot’s assistant chief district officer, said entire settlements had been decimated, with banks, bridges and markets suffering major damage. He added that dozens of concrete bridges had been swept away, calling it damage unprecedented in the region’s history.
The flood has left 60 people associated with the 20-megawatt Langtang Khola Hydropower Project out of contact. Project promoter Bijay Mohan Bhattarai said 25 engineers, drivers and kitchen staff, along with 35 workers who were inside a tunnel, have been out of contact since morning. He said the hydropower project had been completed and was scheduled to undergo testing in two days, adding that contact had not yet been established with those affected.
Separately, 15 employees of the Rasuwa Customs Office in Timure are also missing, said Rajendra Dhungana, chief of the customs office.
Nepal Asks India and China to Help With Rescue Efforts
The Bhotekoshi River flooded around 9 am local time, sweeping away villages, roads and hydropower projects, officials said. Sasmit Pokharel, a spokesperson for the Nepali government, said the country had asked both India and China to assist with rescue efforts.
Dozens of multistoried buildings, trucks and vans were buried under vast quantities of mud in Nuwakot district, one of the worst-affected areas. Officials have warned residents in several of Nepal’s districts to stay away from the banks of the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers.
Most Missing Tourists From India, on Pilgrimage to Mount Kailash
Nepal Tourism Board officials said most of the missing tourists were from India and the Indian diaspora, travelling on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in the Chinese autonomous region of Tibet, a site considered sacred by Hindus.
South Korean government officials said their citizens working on the construction of a hydropower plant in Nepal were among those reported missing. Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Kathmandu had received reports from travel agencies that contact had been lost with 11 Malaysians believed to be in Rasuwa district, one of the hardest-hit areas.
Home Minister Sudan Gurung and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Paudel have been coordinating rescue and relief flights from Kathmandu airport.
Three Dead, 265 Missing in Mudslide in Tibet’s Gyirong, Says China
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities were conducting large-scale search and rescue operations in the Tibetan border area of Gyirong, according to state broadcaster CCTV. At least three people have died and 265 others are missing following a mudslide in Tibet’s Gyirong on Wednesday, CCTV said, citing authorities’ preliminary tally. The exact number of casualties is still being verified, CCTV added. These are the first casualty figures provided for the Chinese side of the border.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered authorities to step up efforts to locate people missing after the mudslide, state news agency Xinhua reported. Xi also called for the evacuation of residents at risk in any area on the Chinese side.