PM Modi speaks to Nepal's Balen Shah over deadly floods, assures ‘all possible humanitarian assistance’

KATHMANDU, Aug 26 — Following a devastating flood that swept through Nepal's border region with Tibet, over 380 tourists, primarily foreigners, remain unaccounted for. Images shared by Nepali police displayed the floodwater inundating a river, claiming several houses in its path. The Associated Press (AFP) provided visuals of a house's upper floor protruding from the mud.

A preliminary tally compiled by Nepal's tourism and travel sector has identified 384 travelers, comprising 291 foreigners and 93 Nepali citizens, as missing from the disaster-stricken areas, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. Authorities are actively working to determine the tourists' current locations.

At least eight fatalities have been confirmed following the floods, but it remains uncertain if any of these victims were among the uncontacted tourists. The flood impacted Syabrubesi, the gateway to the renowned Langtang trek, as well as other regions frequented by tourists for Hindu pilgrimages to Kailash Mansarovar.

A police spokesperson informed AFP that the extent of the damage remains unknown, but authorities have instructed residents near the riverbanks to evacuate their homes.