Some foreigners who were reported missing earlier in Nepal are now in touch with the authorities and that has come as a big relief while the process of rescue and search is under way in the mountain region affected by the terrible floods.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nepal said that the number of foreigners rescued has gone up to 324 now whereas it was only a hundred twenty-one earlier. However, approximately 590 people in 39 nationalities are still untraceable after the occurrence of the calamity on 26th August.
The fresh developments have brought some solace to the delta families. Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia, said on Wednesday that the number of missing Australians has come down from 43 to 38 after five people have been found safe.
Spokesperson of the Nepal Tourism Board Sunil Sharma has reported optimistic news regarding this issue. In the last couple of days, at least five foreign tourists who were earlier reported missing connected with the authorities via email or phone.
Meanwhile, rescue operations have significantly widened near the Nepal-China border. Rescue teams have constructed an emergency road to the site of the disaster in the Gyirong Port border area. This emergency road will make it possible to move heavy equipment to the location and provide assistance for search operations.
Earlier, access to the border crossing was completely blocked and submerged under floodwater, mud, and stones. Thus, the construction of an emergency road is regarded as a major achievement in enabling rescuers to reach locations that are still hard to get to.
China has reported considerable losses due to the disaster. As of Sunday, there have been 16 deaths and 546 missing persons according to the information provided by Chinese officials.
On August 26, a glacier collapse in the Himalayan region triggered the catastrophe as water, rock, and ice came rushing down the valley. This resulted in severe flooding downstream as the flooding water swept through riverways in the Tibetan and Nepal regions.
With the increase in the water levels, with the violent currents washing away the people, buildings, and transportation networks. The mud and rock caused major complications in rescue operations and made it hard to conduct operations.
While many tourists have been successfully rescued, the fact that so many people are still missing showcases the magnitude of the calamity, which is currently being experienced.
For families waiting for news, every contact provides a source of optimism. Back in Nepal, the rescue teams are hard at work restoring access and locating missing people.
