72 rakyat Malaysia sah selamat di Darchen, Tibet

Kuala Lumpur: A total of 72 Malaysian citizens who were reported missing in Darchen, Tibet, have been confirmed safe and well following the flash flood and landslide disaster in Rasuwa district, Nepal on August 26th, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Darchen is a small town located at the southern base of Mount Kailash in Tibet.

The Putra Palace informed the public that the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing has been in touch with the group and is providing consular assistance, including helping them leave the Tibetan Autonomous Region. However, 55 Malaysian nationals remain uncontactable, while two individuals previously reported missing have been located. "The Kathmandu embassy continues to work with Nepal's emergency response unit, Nepal Tourism Board, tour agencies, and local authorities," the statement said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that they have received information from Chinese authorities and family members regarding 36 Malaysian nationals who could not be contacted in the area affected by communication disruption. According to the report, efforts are being made to contact the affected individuals, while their detailed information is being cross-referenced with reports involving Malaysian citizens in Nepal to identify any discrepancies.

The search and rescue operation in Nepal is ongoing, while authorities are also monitoring the risk of downstream flooding from Tibet. As of 5 PM Nepal time (7:15 PM Malaysia time) yesterday, the National Disaster Reduction and Management Authority of Nepal confirmed the safe rescue of up to 771 people, including 116 foreigners.

The disaster that struck the Nepal-Tibet border region claimed at least 626 lives in Nepal, while thousands more are still missing. However, as of now, no Malaysian nationals have been identified among the rescued individuals based on the official list obtained, according to Putra Palace.