Tibet flash floods: 49 Indians among 261 ‘unaccounted’ foreign nationals

Gyirong, Aug 30 (IANS) A total of 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries have been identified as unaccounted for after a mudslide struck Gyirong Port on the Tibet-Nepal border in Xizang on August 26, local authorities said on Sunday.

Officials said that 49 Indians are among the 261 missing foreigners.

The figure was announced at a press conference held by the information office of the regional government, following a joint search and cross-checking of information by foreign affairs, public security, culture and tourism, and emergency management authorities.

Those unaccounted for include 104 people from Nepal, 49 from India, 33 from Latvia, 18 from the United States, 15 from Britain, six from Canada, six from Australia, four from South Africa, three from Malaysia, three from Germany, three from Russia, two from Ireland, two from Estonia, two from France, two from the Netherlands, two from New Zealand, and one each from Kazakhstan, Finland, Lithuania, Portugal, Ukraine, Spain and Hungary.

Chinese authorities have notified the countries’ embassies and consulates in China, according to the press conference, reports Xinhua news agency.

Following multiple rounds of searches, site inspections and checks of individuals at the port, no foreign tourists are currently stranded in Gyirong County, the authorities said.

Meanwhile, in Nepal, 675 bodies have been recovered from affected areas, with 2,498 people still missing, the country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority confirmed.

According to Nepal’s Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, a total of 753 tourists had lost contact as of 17:30 local time on Saturday, including 589 foreign nationals.

Kathmandu District Administrative Office issued an urgent notice on Saturday, calling on various associations, institutions, enterprises and individuals in Kathmandu to donate relief supplies to assist the victims in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts.

The floods, triggered by a sudden surge in the Bhote Koshi River, caused widespread loss of life and extensive damage to hydropower projects, roads, bridges and other infrastructure in the affected areas.

–IANS

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