Search underway for 55 missing Ukrainians in Nepal and Tibet: further flooding possible

Fifty-five Ukrainians are considered missing following large-scale flooding in Nepal and Tibet. Local authorities are warning of the possibility of further flooding and landslides.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in a comment to journalists

Details: Reports as of 10:30 Kyiv time indicate that more than 1,100 people in the region are considered missing, including more than 400 local residents and more than 700 tourists from nearly 30 countries. Among them are 55 Ukrainian citizens.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said these are two tourist groups comprising 47 and 7 Ukrainians respectively, as well as one Ukrainian citizen who was part of a foreign tour group.

According to local authorities, at least 165 people have died in the disaster zone in total. As of now, there is no information indicating that Ukrainian citizens are among those killed or injured.

Search-and-rescue operations are ongoing. Access to many of the disaster-affected areas is difficult due to weather conditions. The ministry said the Nepalese authorities are warning of the possibility of further flooding and landslides.

Ukraine's embassies in India and China have posted safety advice on their official platforms. Ukrainian diplomats remain in constant contact with the local authorities and services in Nepal carrying out search operations, with relatives of those missing and with foreign diplomats in the countries concerned in order to coordinate international efforts to locate the tourist groups.

Search teams and official authorities in the host countries have received full information from Ukrainian diplomatic missions on all the Ukrainians with whom contact has not yet been established. Searches are continuing.

A group of staff from the Ukrainian embassy in India has also travelled directly to the disaster zone. Ukraine's honorary consul in Nepal has also been involved.

Quote: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Consular Service Department and Ukraine's embassies in India and China continue to monitor the situation and are keeping the matter of the 55 missing Ukrainian citizens under special scrutiny."

Background:

• On the morning of 26 August, flooding hit the Rasuwa district, north of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. Torrents of water and mud swept away houses, roads and bridges and damaged energy infrastructure.
• Early findings indicate that the disaster was caused by an avalanche of ice and rock from a glacier. The debris blocked the Lhende Khola River, sending a powerful surge of water, mud and debris downstream. Transport links have been disrupted in some areas, hampering search and rescue operations.
• On the evening of 26 August, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported that, according to Tourist Police Nepal, 53 Ukrainian citizens are considered missing following the severe flooding.

Your support on Patreon helps us keep the news free and accessible.