Rasuwa, a critical transit hub near the Nepal-China border, has become the epicentre of a multi-agency search and rescue operation after flash floods along the Trishuli River basin flattened infrastructure across the district and left hundreds, including foreign tourists, stranded.
TAAN helping Nepal police
TAAN is helping the Nepal police and army with details of travellers (mostly tourists) who registered with them and moved toward this border town from Kathmandu for the three main treks. Nepalese authorities are using these details to track missing persons and share information about foreigners with their embassies. Both neighbouring districts are among the six impacted by Wednesday’s flash floods. The foreigners include citizens from various countries, including India, the US, the UK, Australia, Ukraine, Malaysia, Canada and Singapore.
According to the latest data shared by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), at least 1,924 people have been reported missing, while 579 bodies have been recovered. Tourism department records show that of the 743 tourists reported missing, 622 are yet to be traced. Of the 183 Indians reported missing, 85 have been rescued or contacted. The US accounts for the second-highest number of missing foreigners at 67 (with two rescued), followed by Ukraine at 61.
The trekking body said all the tourists were in Rasuwa or its adjacent districts of Dhading and Nuwakot, heading towards Rasuwa for the three treks.
