Nepal floods: Death toll crosses 1,000 as rescue teams search for thousands | 10 updates

Kathmandu, Nepal — Among the thousands of individuals missing after the catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border, an American has been successfully contacted, officials from Nepal's government disclosed on Tuesday to CBS News. Roughly 85 Americans remain listed as missing, and the news of communication with one individual may offer a glimmer of hope to the countless families anxiously awaiting updates on their loved ones.

The exact identity, location, and condition of the U.S. national reached by Nepali authorities remain unclear. As of Tuesday, over 4,600 people were still considered missing, with at least 1,050 confirmed fatalities in Nepal alone. Chinese authorities have reported 16 deaths in Tibet, and more than 550 remain unaccounted for on that side of the border.

According to a document compiled by the Nepal Tourism Board, as of Monday evening, rescuers had managed to reach five foreign nationals among the thousands missing, including the unidentified American, three from Spain, and one Belgian. A total of 315 foreign nationals have been rescued thus far. Two Americans, Anjana Raja and Pattabiraman Venkatesan, were among the first to be rescued from the disaster zone in Nepal.

Raja and Venkatesan, from the San Francisco Bay Area, were on a pilgrimage to Tibet when the disaster struck, and recounted their harrowing experience of a massive wave resembling a tsunami that struck while they were in a tour bus. The couple managed to escape and seek refuge on a mountaintop before being airlifted to safety. Approximately 600 hydroelectric power plant workers are among the missing, believed to be trapped inside several projects in the disaster area.

Nepal's Prime Minister is working with rescue teams to clear mud-blocked tunnels to reach the workers, as concern grows over the potential exhaustion of oxygen supplies. The disaster was caused by a mountain and glacier collapse in the Himalayas, which triggered avalanches in both Tibet and Nepal, resulting in devastating flash floods.

These floods have even surpassed the usual high level of the sacred Trishuli River, which locals have never witnessed before. Rohit Tamang, a 22-year-old resident of the area, has lived in his home above the Trishuli River his entire life. He expressed his helplessness upon witnessing the surge of waters last Wednesday and stated that he will not leave the area, as it holds significant memories from his childhood.

Nepal's Foreign Minister shared with CBS News on Tuesday that authorities believe many foreigners may have been hiking in the mountains when the disaster struck, leaving them stranded without communication but potentially unharmed. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal expressed hope that the high number of missing foreigners could be attributed to communication challenges, and they are optimistic that the actual number of missing individuals may be significantly lower.