Thirty-two Canadian citizens and permanent residents are among the almost 2,000 individuals who are missing following the devastating flash flood along the Himalayan border between Nepal and Tibet, as confirmed by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand on Friday. Anand, during a press briefing, stated that 579 bodies have been found in the region, with 1,924 individuals still unaccounted for, including 517 foreign nationals. Fortunately, no Canadians have been reported among the deceased. Anand emphasized the dire humanitarian crisis in Nepal due to the catastrophic destruction.
Canada has pledged $5 million in emergency relief funds to assist Nepal during this crisis. Meanwhile, rescue operations continued on Friday in areas ravaged by the flood, with teams searching for those still missing amidst the mud and debris. Authorities in Nepal and China issued warnings about potential additional flooding from a newly formed lake upstream following the disaster on Wednesday, urging residents in at-risk zones to relocate to safer areas.
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that 3,742 individuals have been rescued so far, including tourists from various countries. The Nepalese army dispatched a team to the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project near the Nepal-China border to rescue individuals reportedly trapped inside a tunnel, facing challenges finding entry and exit points due to mud cover. Oxfam’s humanitarian lead in Nepal highlighted the immense devastation, with entire villages swept away and critical infrastructure destroyed.
As rescue efforts persist, families anxiously await news of their missing loved ones. At the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, relatives search for their kin among the recovered bodies, hoping for positive identifications. One such individual, Nirmala Sapkota Koholi, seeks her brother, Pradip Kumar Sapkota, who was last in contact during the disaster. The emotional toll is evident as families cling to hope amidst the chaos.
In a separate development, Red Cross officials expressed concerns about a potential secondary flood and temporary halting of rescue operations due to blocked relief supplies. Despite offers of assistance from various countries, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry stated that current rescue efforts are manageable. The affected regions, popular for hiking and pilgrimages, have witnessed a significant impact on survivors and their families, with many sharing harrowing accounts of the catastrophic event.
Among the survivors is customs officer Karbir Gaire, who narrowly escaped the disaster in Timure village. Gaire recounted the terrifying experience of witnessing a “tsunami” of debris, emphasizing the swift destruction that claimed the lives of many. The catastrophic event, triggered by a glacier collapse, has left communities in shock and mourning the loss of loved ones. The ongoing rescue and recovery operations aim to bring closure to families and provide support to those affected by this tragic event.