Kathmandu: Flash floods and landslides across the Himalayan border region of Nepal and China's autonomous region of Tibet have resulted in a devastating toll, with at least 682 confirmed deaths and nearly 3,000 individuals still reported missing, including several hundred tourists. The numbers are anticipated to rise as rescue operations continue.
According to France24.com, Nepal's disaster agency reported on Saturday that the total number of missing persons on the Nepal side of the border has increased to 2,426. In Tibet, 554 individuals are still unaccounted for, with seven confirmed deaths, as reported by China's Xinhua news agency. The collective missing count stands at a staggering 2,980 people.
The crisis has affected a substantial number of foreign nationals. On Friday, Nepal's disaster agency confirmed that 517 foreigners, including both tourists and foreign workers, remain missing. Chinese authorities have reported 260 foreigners missing from their side. The situation is exacerbated by the chaotic aftermath typical of major disasters.
The Nepal Tourism Board released figures indicating that among the missing are 149 Nepali tourists. The number of unaccounted Nepali residents in the affected areas is still unclear but believed to be in the hundreds. China's foreign ministry has also reported nearly 100 Chinese nationals missing in Nepal, with eight unaccounted for and 16 rescued.
In terms of specific nationalities, 98 Indian nationals were reported missing, with 85 successfully rescued. The United States has 90 citizens unaccounted for, though three have been rescued. Ukraine's embassy in Nepal is aware of 62 missing Ukrainians, while the Nepal Tourism Board lists 51. Australia's figure stands at 41 missing nationals, according to their assistant immigration minister.
Other missing foreign nationals include 33 from the United Kingdom, 29 Latvians, 25 Canadians, nine South Koreans, nine Singaporeans, eight Germans, and nine Russians. Various other countries also have citizens missing, including South Africa, Japan, New Zealand, France, Spain, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Finland, Israel, Lithuania, the Philippines, Serbia, Switzerland, Sweden, and Vietnam.
China has not provided a detailed breakdown of the nationalities of the 260 foreigners missing from their side, nor have the nationalities of non-tourists in Nepal been specified. The ongoing rescue efforts continue to face challenges as authorities strive to provide updates amid the disaster's chaos.