Hundreds missing after Nepal flash flood, including 291 foreign tourists

Hundreds of travellers, including 291 foreign tourists, have been reported missing after an earthquake triggered an avalanche and flash flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border, cutting roads, communications, and access to the affected region.

According to the BBC, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told parliament that preliminary information indicated an earthquake struck the area at around 8:37am local time today (Wednesday 26 August), triggering an avalanche that subsequently caused the flash floods. He said teams were still working to verify the sequence of events.

The Nepal Tourism Board said a preliminary list identified 384 travellers whose whereabouts and safety status were being verified, comprising 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali nationals.

At least 17 people have been confirmed dead following the disaster, which affected the Bhote Koshi river area in Rasuwa, north of Kathmandu.

Among the foreign travellers reported missing are 105 Indian nationals and 12 people from the UK, the tourism board said.

Khanal said Nepal was coordinating with China after the disaster also caused significant damage across the border in Tibet. He added that 26 police officers, nine armed police personnel, and 44 military personnel were among those missing, along with customs and immigration officials.

Roads, bridges, communications infrastructure, and hydropower facilities have suffered extensive damage, with the districts of Rasuwa and Nuwakot among the worst affected.

The scale of foreign traveller involvement makes the disaster particularly significant for the international travel and assistance sector, with efforts to locate those affected complicated by disrupted communications and transport links.

Road access to parts of the affected region has been cut, while mobile connectivity has also been disrupted. Attempts to assess the area by helicopter have reportedly been hampered by strong winds.

The Nepal Tourism Board said it was continuing work to verify the whereabouts and safety of people travelling through the region as rescue and assessment operations continued.

According to the Nepal Tourism Board, the foreign nationals include:

• 12 British nationals
• 105 Indians
• 37 non-resident Indians
• 17 Malaysians
• 4 South Africans
• 3 Americans
• 1 Australian
• 1 Dutch person
• 111 nationalities yet to be confirmed.