Nepal floods : Nearly 300 Indian tourists among hundreds reported missing
The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal rose to 177 on Thursday, while hundreds of people, including nearly 300 Indian tourists, remained missing as rescue teams continued to search affected areas.
The flash floods swept through parts of central Nepal on Wednesday after an ice-rock avalanche blocked the Lhende River near the Nepal-China border, causing a massive surge of debris-filled water to enter the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems.
According to Nepal authorities, around 826 people have been reported missing. The missing include tourists, hydropower workers, security personnel and residents in several affected districts.
Nearly 300 Indian tourists are among those reported missing, Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said. Many of them were travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet or Gosainkunda in Nepal.
Indians missing from Karnataka, Maharashtra and Jharkhand
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said five people from Bengaluru who had travelled to Nepal were missing. The state government is trying to establish contact with them and has issued helpline numbers for families seeking assistance.
Maharashtra authorities said nearly 80 tourists from the state were believed to be stranded in Nepal. Four had been confirmed safe, while officials continued to verify the identities of those unaccounted for.
The Maharashtra State Emergency Operations Centre said 57 of the tourists had travelled through a tour agency, while others were travelling independently. Authorities are coordinating with the travel agency, the Union Home Ministry and officials in Nepal to establish the whereabouts of those still missing.
In Jharkhand, a family in Ranchi has sought help from the Centre to trace 41-year-old Ramprasad Ghosh, who was working at a hydropower project in Nepal. His family said they last spoke to him on Tuesday and have been unable to contact him since the floods struck.
Jharkhand authorities said they had shared his details with the Indian Embassy in Nepal and were seeking his safe rescue.
Hundreds of tourists remain unaccounted for
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 579 tourists, including foreign nationals, were missing. Many were travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar and Gosainkunda.
At least 162 people working at hydropower projects and customs offices were also reported missing. Forty-four Nepal Army personnel, 28 Nepal Police personnel and 13 Armed Police Force personnel have lost contact with their respective units.
Rescue teams have so far recovered 123 people from the Timure area of Rasuwa, including 94 Nepalis and 29 foreigners. At least 73 injured people were receiving treatment in hospitals.
Widespread damage
The floods have damaged 35 motorable bridges, 45 suspension bridges and around 40 km of roads, disrupting transport across several parts of Nepal.
Major highways and roads, including sections connecting Kathmandu with Mugling, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan, have been affected by landslides, debris and flood damage.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah visited flood-hit areas in Nuwakot on Thursday to assess the damage and oversee rescue and relief operations.
The scale of the destruction and the large number of people still unaccounted for have raised fears that the disaster could become one of Nepal's deadliest in recent decades.
