More than 360 people have died and more than 1.400 are missing after catastrophic flash floods, which hit the border area of Nepal and Tibet, while at least 165 people died in Nepal.
Among the missing foreign nationals is one citizen of Serbia, according to data from the Nepal Tourist Board, while Reuters reports that more than 700 foreigners are among the missing.
Rescue teams continue to search for missing people after a huge amount of water, mud and rocks swept through valleys on the border on Wednesday Nepal and China.
The disaster was caused by the collapse of part of a glacier in the Himalayas, after which ice, rocks and other material fell into the river course and triggered a powerful torrential wave. The water then washed away roads, bridges, houses and power generation facilities.
The most affected is Nepal's Rasua district, which is located near the border with Tibet and is one of the important routes for travelers and pilgrims going to holy places in Tibet.
A large number of missing persons are foreign nationals who were traveling or on pilgrimage at the time of the disaster. Most of them are Indians, while the list also includes citizens of the United States of America, Ukraine, Australia, Great Britain, Malaysia, Canada, South Korea and other countries.
According to the latest data from the Nepal Tourist Board, among the foreign nationals whose fate is not yet known, there is also one citizen of Serbia. These data are preliminary and were collected through tourist and trekking agencies, which is why the authorities continue to check the identity and location of the missing.
Photo: AP Photo/Niranjan ShresthaSevere floods in Nepal and China
It is feared that the number of victims will increase
Nepalese authorities announced that 165 bodies have been found so far, while 826 people are still being searched for in that country. On the Chinese side of the border, in Tibet, another 558 people are missing, including 260 foreign nationals.
Rescue operations are further complicated by destroyed roads, interruptions in the supply of electricity and communications, as well as large amounts of mud and sediment that covered entire areas.
More than 5.000 members of the army and police are involved in the search for survivors, and according to the Nepalese army, 125 people, including 20 foreign nationals, have been rescued by Thursday.
The situation is particularly difficult in the area through which the route to Mount Kailash passes, one of the most important holy places for Hindus and Buddhists.
A group of 57 pilgrims from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu were traveling in three buses to Tibet when disaster struck. One bus managed to pass, while the other, according to the testimonies of passengers, ended up in a ravine.
Among the missing are a large number of people who traveled in organized groups. Indian spiritual leader Sadguru Jagi Vasudev announced that 77 pilgrims of various nationalities and three employees of his foundation were among the missing.
Photo: AP Photo/Niranjan ShresthaThe number of dead and missing in floods is increasing
An entire group of passengers disappeared.
A travel agency in Kathmandu said it could not get in touch with 46 of its clients and nine employees.
The director of the agency, Gopal Thapa, told Reuters that he tried to reach the affected area by helicopter, but that it was almost impossible to find any traces of earlier settlements.
"It's a completely destroyed area. The whole neighborhood is gone," Thapa said, adding that the families of the missing are constantly asking for information.
The disaster also hit the Chinese side of the border. Three deaths have been confirmed in the Jirong area, while 558 people are missing. At the same time, the Chinese authorities are warning of the possibility of new geological problems, as a lake has formed upstream that could jeopardize rescue operations.
Other countries and international organizations also joined in helping Nepal. India has sent ten tons of aid, including tents, blankets, hygiene items, solar lamps and medicine, while the European Union, the United States of America, the United Nations and the World Health Organization have also announced aid.
Rescuers will continue their search in the following days in areas that are very difficult to reach due to destroyed roads and bridges. Authorities fear that the final tally of casualties and missing persons will not be known until crews reach the worst-hit parts of the region.
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