Girl, 13, among missing British citizens after flash flood in Nepal
Twelve British citizens including a 13-year-old girl are among 384 travellers missing after a flash flood in the Rasuwa district of Nepal, according to reports.The Nepali tourist board said the “sudden” flood...
Twelve British citizens including a 13-year-old girl are among 384 travellers missing after a flash flood in the Rasuwa district of Nepal, according to reports.
The Nepali tourist board said the “sudden” flood happened on the Tibetan side of the Bhote Koshi River at about 8.30am local time on Wednesday.
It said 12 Britons, four South Africans and four Nepalis were in the area with Alpine Eco Trek.
The company, which offers guided tours and expeditions in Nepal, confirmed that 12 British nationals on its tour across the Nepal-Tibet border were missing.
Speaking to the Press Association (PA) from the affected area, Ram Kumar Adhikari, the owner of Alpine Eco Trek, wrote: “Not much info to share at the moment, but yes we have 12 British citizens (supposed) to make entry this morning.”
The age of the missing British citizens ranges from 13 to 65, according to travel logs shared with PA.
More than 100 of the 384 missing people were yet to have a nationality confirmed, the tourist board added.
A total of 95 bodies had been recovered in the still-unfolding disaster, a police official told Reuters.
A wall of mud and rock appeared to collapse into a river on the Himalayan border of Nepal and Tibet, triggering catastrophic flooding on the Nepali side, Reuters reported.
It said verified videos showed dozens of people swept away at the border, with authorities on both sides fearing far higher casualties and huge destruction.
Houses, roads and power projects were swept away in Nepal, while officials in Tibet said they feared “major casualties”, with some missing in the county of Gyirong after a mudslide hit a border land crossing.
Initial reports suggested an earthquake had triggered an avalanche and caused the floods, Shisir Khanal, Nepal’s foreign minister, told the country’s parliament.
Eight South Koreans working on a hydropower plant were missing and 10 others were stranded, South Korea’s foreign ministry said.
Local authorities said tourists in Rasuwa and other areas along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers should “exercise extreme caution”, remain in safe areas and move to higher ground if required.
Visitors were urged to stay in regular contact with hotels and travel agenciesPeople travelling to the affected areas in the coming days were warned to postpone their journeys.
The British embassy in Kathmandu urged people in affected areas to follow local advice.
A joint statement with the embassies of Australia, the EU, Finland, France, Norway and Switzerland said: “We are deeply saddened by the devastating flooding in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts and surrounding areas.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this disaster. We express our solidarity with the people of Nepal during this difficult time.
“We encourage all those in affected areas to follow the guidance of local authorities and official safety advisories as the situation continues to evolve.”
