27 tourists rescued in Nepal, over 1,300 still missing including 700+ foreigners.

Rescue teams are racing to locate survivors after deadly flash floods struck border regions of Nepal and China on Wednesday, with dozens of foreign nationals among those pulled to safety.

The Nepal Tourism Board said 27 tourists were rescued in Rasuwa district. The group included 2 Americans, 11 Indians, 4 South Koreans and 2 Italians.
“All efforts are underway to rescue/evacuate the injured and stranded people,” the board posted on X.

Italy’s foreign ministry said it has now made contact with 130 Italian citizens who were previously unaccounted for.

Authorities say at least 1,384 people remain missing across both countries.
In Nepal, 826 people are unaccounted for, including 517 foreigners. On the Chinese side, 558 people are missing, including 260 foreigners.
More than 700 of the missing are foreign visitors to the mountainous region. At least 270 bodies have been recovered so far.

A massive surge of water tore through a valley, destroying roads and critical infrastructure and hampering access to affected areas. Families are making urgent appeals as many remain out of contact for more than 24 hours.

The US Geological Survey said the disaster in Nepal’s Rasuwa district was triggered by a glacial collapse. A large mass of ice fell into the valley and mixed with already saturated sediment from the monsoon.
“No earthquake had occurred,” USGS confirmed.

Chinese emergency crews have reached the core disaster zone along the China-Nepal border but are facing blocked roads from mud and debris.
In Nepal, rescue helicopters are struggling to land due to high floodwaters.
The EU and India have announced plans to send humanitarian aid.

Chinese authorities warned of a possible secondary disaster, with more rain forecast for Gyirong County this week. State broadcaster CCTV said the area is already prone to landslides and flash floods.

The Dalai Lama also offered prayers on Thursday for those killed and cited climate change as a possible factor behind the disaster.

Source: CNN