Nepal floods: At least four French nationals among missing after deadly deluge

Rescue efforts are underway in Nepal and Tibet following devastating floods that have claimed at least 165 lives and left more than 1,300 people missing, including hundreds of foreign tourists.

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Among these foreign nationals are notably 4 French, a figure that the Quai d’Orsay has not yet confirmed.

The powerful surge of water and mud swept through the region on Wednesday, destroying homes and tragically claiming lives. Preliminary reports indicate 162 fatalities on the Nepalese side and 3 in the neighboring Chinese territory of Tibet. The Nepalese tourism bureau reported 517 foreigners unaccounted for, with initial figures suggesting at least four French nationals are among them, though this has not been officially confirmed by the French Quai d'Orsay.

Other nationalities with missing persons include 178 Indians, 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 33 Britons, 25 Canadians, 15 Australians, and 12 Israelis. These figures are based on information gathered from trekking and travel companies and are currently being verified in coordination with local authorities and travel agencies.

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Approximately 100 Chinese are missing, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The catastrophic wave was reportedly caused by the collapse of a glacier. The force of this collapse was so immense that it triggered a magnitude 5.2 earthquake and caused widespread landslides, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The full extent of the damage and the number of missing individuals are still being assessed as rescue operations continue.

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The wave was caused by the collapse of a glacier, with such violence that it caused a magnitude 5.2 earthquake and numerous landslides.