Sudden floods in Nepal have left 105 Indian tourists missing. Among them, 31 pilgrims were travelling towards the Mansarovar route. The Nepal Tourism Board shared this information while collecting details about missing travellers.
According to the board, around 400 tourists remain missing after the floods. Out of these, 291 tourists are foreigners, while more than 90 are Nepalese citizens.
Indian Tourists Among Several Missing Foreign Travellers
Nepal News reported that 37 missing tourists are Indian NRIs. Other missing travellers include citizens from Australia, Netherlands, the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.
Furthermore, the Nepal Tourism Board said 59 Indian tourists travelled with Smart Travels. Another 46 Indian tourists travelled through Leaf Holidays.
Meanwhile, the Nepal government has released a tourist helpline number. Travellers can contact authorities through 1144.
Custom Office Staff Also Missing After Floods
According to Nepalese media reports, 14 employees from the customs office at Timure in Rasuwa remain unreachable. The group includes 11 permanent workers and three contract employees.
However, authorities have located 25 customs workers. The group includes customs office chief Rajendra Dhungana.
Additionally, 60 people from the 20 MW Langtang Khola hydropower project have gone missing. So far, floods have caused eight deaths, and authorities recovered seven bodies.
The Nepal government has deployed helicopters and drones for rescue operations.
Rescue Teams Deploy 12 Helicopters Across Flood-Hit Areas
The Nepal Army confirmed that rescue teams saved 12 people through helicopters. Six people were rescued from Syafrubesi, two from Mailung, and four from Dhunche.
Moreover, four Nepal Army helicopters and eight private helicopters are involved in rescue operations. Teams also rescued five other trapped people and shifted them to hospitals.
Initially, authorities deployed 35 army personnel for rescue work. The government declared three districts as the worst affected areas. The cabinet also discussed ongoing rescue operations.
Floodwaters Destroy Homes, Vehicles, And Infrastructure
Floods entering Nepal through the Bhotekoshi River from Tibet swept away around 1,000 people. Additionally, floodwater destroyed nearly 60 houses near Trishuli Bazaar in Nuwakot.
Two motorable bridges also suffered damage due to the flooding. The Devghat region also faced severe flood impact.
Authorities estimate that more than 300 vehicles were washed away. The floods damaged Trishuli and Devghat hydropower projects.
Furthermore, three blocks of a 25 MW solar power plant and one substation were washed away.
