The number of people unaccounted for after Wednesday’s devastating Bhotekoshi flash flood in Nepal has risen to 826, including residents, security personnel and tourists, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. Among those missing are 44 Nepali Army personnel, 28 Nepal Police officers and 13 members of the Armed Police Force. A total of 162 people from Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts remain out of contact. The Nepal Tourism Board said 590 tourists—476 foreigners and 114 Nepalis—have also not been reached by authorities. Among the foreign tourists, 177 are Indian nationals, followed by 63 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 34 Australians and 33 British citizens. The list also includes 25 Canadians, eight Germans, and six each from Singapore and South Africa. Search and rescue teams, including security personnel and local authorities, are continuing operations along riverbanks and downstream areas in an effort to locate those missing. The sharp rise in the number of people whose whereabouts remain unknown highlights the scale of the disaster and the continuing challenges faced by rescue teams in reaching isolated and flood-affected areas.
