NEPAL-TIBET FLOODS: DEATH TOLL HITS 955 AS 4,471 REMAIN MISSING
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
At least 955 people have been confirmed dead, while 4,471 others remain missing following devastating flash floods and landslides that struck parts of the Nepal-Tibet border.
The figures, released by authorities on Monday, are expected to change as rescue and recovery operations continue and authorities reconcile reports from affected areas.
Nepal accounted for the bulk of the casualties, with 939 deaths and 3,925 people still missing, according to the country’s disaster management agency.
In Tibet, 546 people were reported missing, while 16 deaths had been confirmed, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
The disaster has also left hundreds of foreign nationals unaccounted for on both sides of the border.
Nepal’s disaster agency said 592 foreigners were missing in the country, while Chinese authorities reported at least 261 foreign nationals among those unaccounted for in Tibet.
Several categories of workers were also affected, with 639 people working on hydropower projects, 45 Nepali Army personnel, 38 police officers and 18 customs and immigration officials listed among those missing in Nepal.
The hard-hit Nuwakot district alone accounted for at least 1,158 missing persons.
In neighbouring India, authorities have recovered 17 bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal. The bodies are believed to be victims of the floods but have not been included in the official death toll pending confirmation.
Foreign nationals from several countries are also among the missing.
India reported 275 of its citizens missing in Nepal, in addition to 128 people of Indian origin, while Chinese authorities said 49 Indian nationals were missing in Tibet.
The United States reported about 85 citizens missing in Nepal, with nine subsequently rescued. Eighteen other US citizens were reported missing in Tibet.
Ukraine also reported dozens of missing nationals, with its embassy in Nepal saying it had lost contact with 62 citizens, while Chinese state media reported one Ukrainian missing in Tibet.
Other affected nationalities include Australians, Britons, Canadians, South Koreans, Russians, Latvians, Malaysians, Germans, New Zealanders, French, Spaniards, South Africans, Singaporeans and nationals of several other European and Asian countries.
The varying figures reported by national authorities, the Nepal Tourism Board and Chinese state media have resulted in discrepancies in the number of missing foreign nationals, underscoring the difficulty of establishing an accurate casualty figure amid the ongoing disaster response.
Rescue teams continue to search affected areas for survivors, while authorities work to account for people who remain uncontactable.
The scale of the disaster has raised concerns over the safety of hydropower workers, security personnel, local communities and foreign nationals caught in the floods and landslides.
Authorities have warned that the casualty figures could continue to rise as search teams reach remote and heavily affected areas and as reports from isolated communities are verified.
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