Brit lady, 13, amongst virtually 400 individuals lacking after sudden flash flood
Flash floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa region have reportedly left 384 people missing, including 12 British nationals and two Irish nationals, according to the country’s tourism board
Flash floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa region (Image: Getty)
Twelve Brits, including a 13-year-old girl, and two Irish citizens are among almost 400 people unaccounted for following a sudden flash flood in Nepal.
Alpine Eco Trek, a company that provides guided tours and expeditions in Nepal, confirmed to the Press Association that 12 British nationals participating in its tour across the Nepal-Tibet border were reported missing on Wednesday (August 25).
The country’s tourism board has verified that they are among the 384 individuals currently missing. Ram Kumar Adhikari, the manager of Alpine Eco Trek, revealed that two Irish citizens and four South African nationals who were also part of the excursion are presumed missing.
Speaking to the Press Association from the disaster-stricken area, Mr Kumar Adhikari stated there was “not much info to share at the moment, but yes we have 12 British citizens (supposed) to make entry this morning”.
An aerial view shows buildings and infrastructure damaged along the swollen Trishuli River following a massive flash flood triggered by an avalanche of ice and rock in the upper Lhende River (Image: Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)
According to travel logs shared with PA, the ages of the missing British nationals range from 13 to 65, reports the Express. At least 95 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal following the disaster, with a further three deaths reported on the Tibetan side of the border, the Independent reported.
Rescuers are continuing the grim task of searching affected areas as fears grow that the toll could rise. Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for.
The Nepal Tourism Board has put the total number of missing at 403, including 341 foreign nationals from 26 countries and 61 Nepali nationals, the BBC reported. In addition to the British citizens, other nationalities have also been caught up in the chaos.
The flash flood triggered by an avalanche of ice and rock in the upper Lhende River on the Tibetan side, in Nuwakot district, Nepal, on August 26(Image: Skanda Gautam/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)
The same tour group was reported to include two missing Irish citizens, four South Africans and four Nepali tour guides, the Guardian reported. South Korea’s foreign ministry has also said eight South Koreans working on a local hydropower plant are missing.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it is working directly with Nepalese authorities to help locate missing British citizens.
A joint statement from the British, Australian, EU, French and Swiss embassies urged everyone in the area to follow the guidance of local authorities closely.
Urgent travel warnings have been issued for several areas, with local officials ordering tourists in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and around the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river regions to take extreme caution and move to higher ground.
Anyone planning to travel to these areas in the coming days is being strongly urged to postpone their journeys.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
