Nepal Floods Kill 22, Leave 291 Foreigners Missing; Italy Coordinates Rescue Efforts

A devastating flood and subsequent landslide in Nepal's Rasuwa district and surrounding central areas have claimed at least 22 lives, with a significant number of foreign nationals reported missing. The disaster has caused widespread damage, particularly in areas near the border with China.

Local authorities report that among the missing are 32 members of the Nepalese police and the Armed Police Force in Timure, a town near the Chinese border. Additionally, 60 workers from the Langtang Khola hydroelectric project and 15 employees from the Rasuwa customs office are unaccounted for. The Nepal Tourism Board has identified 384 travelers as missing, including 291 foreigners and 93 Nepalis, based on preliminary information from travel agencies.

The list of missing foreigners includes 105 Indian citizens, along with individuals from Australia, the Netherlands, the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. The Tourism Board cautioned that this list is preliminary and subject to verification, urging travelers and their families to await confirmed details.

In response to the crisis, Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all possible efforts to be made for the rescue of those missing after a landslide in Tibet's Gyirong county, which borders Nepal and also suffered "serious losses." Italy's Foreign Ministry is actively engaged, stating that approximately 90 Italian nationals were present in the affected region between Nepal and Tibet. Two Italian tourists and their guide are reportedly stranded by a landslide blocking a road and are in contact with the ministry.

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The Nepal Tourism Board has identified 384 travelers, including 291 foreign citizens and 93 Nepalis, as missing after the flood.