KATHMANDU/SYDNEY: Nepal’s Tourism Board said 517 foreigners remained out of contact on Thursday (Aug 27), more than 24 hours after a deadly flood tore through the border region with Tibet.
Overall, in both Nepal and China, more than 1,300 people are missing, and 180 are dead.
Among the missing are 178 from India, 65 from the US, 53 from Ukraine, 51 from Malaysia, 35 from Australia, 33 from Britain and 25 from Canada.
Nine people from Singapore, eight from Germany and eight from Russia are also missing.
The Nepal Tourism Board said authorities were working to “verify the whereabouts and safety status of tourists and travellers” in the disaster areas.
Nepal’s police have given an overall missing figure of 823 people, and 177 dead.
In China, state media said the “mudslide disaster” at the Gyirong Port in Tibet killed three people, while 558 people, including 260 foreigners, are missing.
Earlier on Aug 27, a tour company told AFP that 47 people, including two children, are missing after the floods.
The group comprised 15 Australians, 10 Canadians, nine Nepalese, eight Americans, two Britons, two Singaporeans, and one Russian-American dual citizen, Himalayan Glacier managing director Sanket Pandey said.
“At this time they are still missing,” he told AFP.
“Our team is checking hospitals where victims are coming in.”
The US-based trekking company’s founder, Sagar Pandey, is also the president of trekking agencies in Nepal. He had flown over the affected area in a helicopter but was unable to land.
Two boys are among the 15 missing Australians, he said.
Most of the group were staying in the Rasuwagadhi area hit by the flood, with several travelling into the town, he said.
Seven Nepali guides are among the missing group. - AFP
