At least 105 Indian nationals and 37 non-resident Indians (NRIs) are among the 384 tourists and travelers initially reported missing after severe flash floods hit Nepal's Raswa district near the Tibetan border on Wednesday, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said. The flash flood occurred around 8:30 am local time in the Bhote Koshi River in Raswa Garhi-Timore area. This resulted in widespread destruction in some areas of Raswa and neighboring districts of Nuwakot and Dhading. At least eight people have been confirmed dead. Vehicles, goods, bridges and other infrastructure were washed away in the torrential floods, while several hydropower projects were also damaged. Populations in the affected areas have suffered massive damage and rescue operations are underway. According to the preliminary list compiled by the Nepal Tourism Board, 384 passengers are missing, including 291 foreigners and 93 Nepalese nationals. Of the foreign nationals identified so far, 105 belong to India. The list also includes citizens of Australia, the Netherlands, the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and South Africa, while the nationality of several others is yet to be confirmed. NTB said that these figures are preliminary and are being verified in cooperation with travel agencies, guides, local authorities and security agencies. Officials have appealed to families and travelers not to jump to conclusions until the verification process is complete. Of the 105 Indian nationals identified so far, 59 were traveling through Samrat Tours and Travels and 46 through Leaf Holidays. 37 NRIs are listed separately under Himalayan Glacier. Preliminary agency war records include 92 travelers belonging to Trekkers Society, 71 from Samrat Tours and Travels, 55 from Leaf Holiday, 52 from Himalayan Glacier and 31 from Kailash Journey. Fishtail Tours and Travels reported 20 foreign travelers, including three Americans and 17 Malaysian citizens. Himalayan Glacier reported 37 foreign travelers, while 12 Britons and four South Africans were among the 16 people traveling through the Alpine Eco-Trek. The Tourism Board, Tourist Police and other tourism agencies are making continuous efforts to ascertain the presence and safety of people who are in or passing through the affected area at the time of the floods. Officials have warned that travel agencies and related agencies are re-checking their records, so the number of missing Indian nationals could change. Meanwhile, the Indian diplomatic mission in Nepal has also issued emergency contact numbers for Indian nationals affected by the natural calamity. Authorities have mobilized rescue teams and security personnel to assess the severity of the disaster and continue searching for missing persons. The floods have also severely affected the traffic in the border area. The area is a major route for tourists and travelers to Tibet, including those visiting Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. With communication systems and critical roads affected in many areas, authorities are working quickly to reach remote and isolated populations and assess the full extent of the damage caused by the natural disaster.
