PUTRAJAYA: Seventy-seven Malaysians have been found in Tibet and Nepal and brought to Kathmandu for repatriation, says Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
However, 55 Malaysians remain unaccounted for following the devastating floods in Nepal.
Fahmi said the Foreign Minister had informed the Cabinet about the latest status of Malaysians affected by the disaster.
“The Foreign Minister informed the Cabinet that 55 Malaysians are still unaccounted for.
“Meanwhile, 77 Malaysians have been found in Tibet and Nepal and brought to Kathmandu for repatriation,” he said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (Sept 2).
Fahmi said the Cabinet also took note of Malaysia’s contribution of US$1mil (RM4.04mil) to Nepal for humanitarian assistance following the disaster.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the contribution on Aug 30, together with Malaysia’s deployment of the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to assist in search and rescue operations.
The SMART team is also helping locate and bring home Malaysians affected by the disaster, while assisting the Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu in coordinating aid and ensuring their safety and welfare.
The floods and landslides struck Nepal’s Rasuwa district on Aug 26, causing widespread destruction along the Nepal-Tibet border.
As of Wednesday, at least 1,118 people had been killed in Nepal, with more than 3,900 still missing, according to the Associated Press.
Rescue operations are continuing, with damaged infrastructure and difficult terrain hampering efforts to reach affected areas.
China has also reported 16 deaths and 546 people missing on its side of the border.
