Kathmandu, August 27
The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has stated that a total of 644 travellers, including 127 Nepali nationals, have been reported missing following Wednesday’s devastating flash flood in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, affecting Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha.
In its “Situation Update – 3” issued Thursday, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, NTB, Tourist Police, and other tourism stakeholders said they are working to verify the whereabouts and safety of tourists and travellers who were in or passing through the affected areas at the time of the flood, which struck around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 26. Efforts to rescue and evacuate the injured and stranded are ongoing.
The preliminary figures, compiled from records submitted by trekking and travel companies, are still being cross-checked with travel agencies, guides, local authorities, and security agencies. NTB noted that only riverside areas of the four affected districts along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli have suffered severe damage, while other areas remain unaffected.
A separate breakdown released by NTB, current as of 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 27, lists missing persons by nationality. India tops the list with 178 missing, followed by Nepal with 127, Ukraine with 53, Malaysia with 51, the United States with 65, the United Kingdom with 33, Australia with 35, and Canada with 25.
Smaller numbers of missing nationals were also reported from countries including Germany (8), Russia (8), Singapore (9), South Africa (6), Latvia (6), France (4), Spain (3), Belgium (3), New Zealand (5), Japan (5), Portugal (2), the Netherlands (2), Italy (2), Ireland (2), Kazakhstan (2), and one each from Belarus, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, the Philippines, Serbia, Sweden, and Switzerland.
The board has asked the public to remain calm, stay informed, and follow official safety instructions, reiterating that tourist safety remains its priority.
