Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Thursday that nearly 300 Indians are among hundreds of people missing after devastating flash floods swept through parts of Nepal and neighbouring Tibet, which killed 175 people so far.
Khanal said authorities were still trying to ascertain the full extent of the disaster, with nearly 1,500 people, including at least 800 foreigners, reported missing across Nepal and Tibet. Nepal embassy sources, citing news agency, said 175 people had been killed in the disaster so far.
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“Thousands of families have lost homes and are missing as of now. We are still trying to ascertain the full extent of the disaster,” Khanal said.
The flash floods struck Nepal and parts of Tibet after a possible avalanche near a Himalayan river sent catastrophic flash floods downstream. Gyirong Port, a land border crossing and trade post between Tibet and Nepal, was among the first towns to be hit before the swelling waters flowed further down to wreak havoc.
The flash floods struck three districts of Nepal on Wednesday after an avalanche blocked the flow of the Lhende tributary of the river Bhote Koshi. The torrent first hit Timure near Rasuwagadhi, along Nepal’s border with Tibet, before wreaking havoc downstream.
Nepal Police said the death toll had risen to 165 and warned that it could increase further as rescue teams resumed searches and more bodies were recovered. “This will go up, as we have resumed the search and more bodies are expected to be recovered,” Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said.
In Tibet’s Gyirong county, 558 people were reported missing, including 260 foreign nationals, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Rescuers in Nepal have deployed helicopters to search for survivors and drop emergency supplies to thousands stranded by the floods. The disaster swept through a rugged Himalayan region popular with trekkers and pilgrims travelling between Lhasa in Tibet and Kathmandu.
Several videos on social media showed massive torrents of water and debris sweeping through the border area, while homes, roads and power projects were washed away or damaged further downstream in Nepal.
Early reports from Nepali officials suggested that an earthquake in the region may have triggered the collapse of the lower part of a glacier, causing the floods.
On Wednesday, it was reported that at least 133 Indians and 37 NRIs were among nearly 500 people missing. At least 50 of the Indians were pilgrims on the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet, a major pilgrimate site for the Hindus.
On Wednesday, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu issued emergency numbers for assistance and information related to Indian nationals affected by the flash floods. In a post on X, it said people can contact +977 985 131 6807 or +977 970 910 7500.
The Embassy of India has remained engaged with the relevant authorities of the Government of Nepal for early rescue and relief for Indian nationals affected by the flash floods that took place in Nepal, it said in another post on X, adding that rescue and relief efforts continue to be strengthened in coordination with the Nepal government.
The Nepal Tourism Board also issued similar numbers, including the toll-free emergency number 1234, the hotline 1144, and the Tourist Police number 9851289445 for help.
In Beijing, the Embassy of India also issued a helpline number, 0086 185 1428 4905, which can be contacted via WhatsApp.
– Ends
(with inputs from agencies)
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
