Flash Floods in Nepal Leave Hundreds Missing, Including Australians

At least 165 people have died and more than 1,300 are missing after flash floods and landslides struck the border region between Nepal and China's Tibet on Wednesday, according to Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who extended condolences on Thursday. Nepal's disaster agency reported 823 people unaccounted for, including at least 579 Nepali and foreign tourists. China said 558 people were missing, nearly half of them foreigners.

Among the missing are 15 Australians from a tour group of 47 that was travelling with US-based Himalayan Glacier Adventures. The group included two children, with ages ranging from 11 to 64. The company's founder and CEO, Sagar Pandey, told The Guardian he had little hope the group survived after flying over the Rasuwa area by helicopter. "To be honest … you would think there was no human civilisation there at all," he said. "The flash flood swept away everything, everything, you couldn't see any human creations." He added: "Still, I have a hope, but like 1%; the rest I don't have a hope, they are missing and missing and missing."

The group included 15 Australians, 10 Canadians, nine Nepalese, eight Americans, two Britons, two Singaporeans, and one Russian-American dual citizen, according to Himalayan Glacier managing director Sanket Pandey. Most were staying in the Rasuwagadhi area when the flood hit, with several travelling into the town. Seven Nepali guides are also among the missing. Sagar Pandey, who also serves as president of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, said the group had driven about seven hours from Kathmandu and were expected to head towards the China border at about 8:30am on the day of the flood. During his helicopter flight, he noticed about 100 people on higher ground, believed to be local people who escaped.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed in a statement that 34 Australians were missing. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) was "urgently working to confirm the welfare of Australians in the area." DFAT has issued a travel advisory urging Australians in Nepal to exercise a high degree of caution due to the high risk of road accidents and natural disasters, noting that roads, transport, and infrastructure are significantly damaged.

ABC Australia confirmed that a New South Wales couple, Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52, and Chitra Venkatraman, 46, from Western Sydney, are among those missing. Their son told the ABC he last spoke to them when they were about 15 kilometres from the Tibet border and expressed hope the entire group would be found safe. Two Australian boys, aged 11 and 14, are also part of the tour group.

Swaatika Kanniah, the daughter of missing tourist Kanagamah Sundrasan, told the ABC her mother was on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. "According to her itinerary, today was supposed to be the day she was getting there," Ms Kanniah said. "It's a very sacred spot, so it was one of her dreams to fulfil." She said her mother last spoke to family on Tuesday, and "it's been a bit worrying because we haven't been able to contact her yet."

Adelaide resident Manisha Khatri is awaiting news about her missing brother-in-law Dipendra Bistra, who was confirmed missing by his sister-in-law.

Several tour operators have accounted for their clients. G Adventures confirmed all its travellers and staff are safe and accounted for, and said tours scheduled to travel through the area in the coming days were being re-routed. World Expeditions chief executive Sue Badyari said the company had confirmed all its clients and staff travelling in Nepal were safe. She noted the flash flooding occurred in the Rasuwa District near the Tibetan border, an area not on the standard Everest trekking route. Himalayan Guiding Australia owner Seane Pieper said he had seen footage showing a village being struck by the flood, a village he visits a couple of times a year. Intrepid Travel confirmed none of its customers or team members were caught up in the disaster; the company operates 26 itineraries in Nepal, but only two pass through the affected region, and neither was operating at the time of the flooding. Intrepid's Yalamber Rai expressed deep sadness over the catastrophic flooding.

The impact extends beyond Australia. According to France 24, India had 142 nationals missing, according to a Nepal Tourism Board list not updated since Wednesday. Ukraine's foreign ministry said 53 Ukrainian nationals were believed missing, including a group of 46. Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said more than 50 Malaysians were unreachable. The UK had 12 citizens with Alpine Eco Trek unaccounted for and two Britons with Himalayan Glacier missing. South Korea's foreign ministry said nine hydropower workers were out of contact in Rasuwa district. Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed concern about five Japanese nationals missing. South Africa had four missing with Alpine Eco Trek. The US had three missing with Fishtail Tours & Travels and eight Americans missing with Himalayan Glacier. Portugal's foreign ministry reported a woman and a man missing. A Dutch citizen was unaccounted for with the same company as the missing Australian. Italy said two nationals and their guide were stranded upstream from a landslide. New Zealand reported five nationals unaccounted for. Ten Canadians and two Singaporeans were missing per Himalayan Glacier's managing director. The missing figure from China included 260 foreigners without nationality breakdown. Tour groups announced missing foreigners: 77 with Trekkers Society, 26 with Kailash Journey, and eight with Richa Tours & Travels.

In Singapore, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a Facebook post that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) was in close touch with Nepali and Chinese authorities to offer consular assistance to affected Singaporeans. "Our thoughts are with the people of Nepal and China during this difficult time, and with the authorities and emergency personnel working tirelessly on rescue and recovery efforts," he said. "We hope for the safe return of those still missing." The MFA has advised Singaporeans in Nepal to exercise a high degree of caution, remain vigilant, monitor local news, and avoid flood-affected areas such as Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, and Chitwan.

The figures of missing people are likely to change, as double-counting of dual nationals and the chaos of the disaster can cause fluctuations.