KATHMANDU, Aug 28: A devastating flood and debris flow triggered by a landslide on a glacier has caused massive loss of life and property along the Nepal-China border.
Following the deadly disaster in Nepal and Tibet, rescue teams have intensified efforts to locate hundreds of people reported missing. Of the 977 people missing on the Nepal side, 517 are foreign nationals, including 127 nonresident Nepalis who had come to Nepal for visits. Another 558 people are reported missing on the Chinese side.
According to the latest information, at least 392 people have died in Nepal and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, while more than 1,500 people remain missing. So far, three bodies have been recovered on the Chinese side and 389 on the Nepali side.
US President Donald Trump has pledged to provide Nepal with whatever assistance it needs. On Thursday, Trump said efforts to locate missing American citizens had been stepped up and that he had spoken with Nepal’s leadership.
Death toll from catastrophic Himalayan flood climbs to 392, mor...
“We've called Nepal, and we've offered them any help that they need. And we have a very good relationship with Nepal, and it was brutal. It wasn't just mud and water. It was a mixture that nobody had ever seen, where powerful and well-constructed buildings were just erased like pieces of paper,” Trump said.
Trump added, “It’s a very terrible thing. No, we're sending aid, and we've spoken to the leadership, and we've told them what they need.”
Trump said dozens of Americans were in the affected areas and that a complete list of those affected had yet to be obtained.
According to CNN, the US State Department said 90 American citizens were missing in Nepal following the floods. Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that ensuring the safety of Americans in Nepal remained the administration’s top priority.
“We have offered our assistance and support, but certainly the first priority for this president and Secretary Rubio will always be Americans. So we're focused on getting every American out that we possibly can, and that effort will continue,” Leavitt said.
The US State Department said it was closely monitoring the situation and had deployed a disaster response adviser to the region to support relief efforts. It also expressed deep condolences to the families of those affected and announced $500,000 in emergency assistance through Catholic Relief Services. The funding will provide shelter, relief supplies and clean water to flood affected communities.
The US Embassy in Kathmandu is coordinating with local authorities to search for and rescue American citizens in the affected areas. It has urged Americans requiring assistance to contact the embassy and register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to help authorities keep them safe. (With inputs from agencies)
