- The disaster began Wednesday when a massive chunk of ice and rock broke off a mountaintop, and the suspected collapse of a melting glacier shook the ground so violently that seismic monitors registered it as a magnitude-4.4 earthquake.
- Rescuers have struggled to reach devastated communities along the Nepal-Tibet border, with damaged roads, power outages, and fears of further flooding hampering efforts.
- The death toll in Nepal rose to at least 675 on Saturday, with nearly 2,500 people still missing, including 100 Americans.
- More than 7,500 people have been rescued, according to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, and more than 90,000 people have been affected, according to the Nepal Red Cross.
- China has separately reported 7 deaths and 554 people missing in its Tibet region.
- Of those missing in Nepal, 589 are foreign nationals, and the Nepal Tourism Board said 261 foreign nationals have been rescued.
- The State Department said it is not aware of any confirmed American deaths, but approximately 100 Americans remain missing, while five have been rescued.
- Among the missing are Murphy, Texas residents Raghu Rajan and Archana Suresh, whose phones last pinged near a bridge that washed away.
- The State Department has urged U.S. citizens in affected areas to contact via KathmanduACS@state.gov, and relatives seeking information should call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free from the U.S. and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from other locations.
Flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border have resulted in a catastrophic disaster, with the death toll in Nepal reaching at least 675 and nearly 2,500 individuals reported missing.345
Among the missing are approximately 100 Americans, as rescue efforts continue to face significant challenges due to damaged infrastructure and ongoing fears of further flooding.1112
More than 90,000 people have been affected by the disaster, according to the Nepal Red Cross, with over 7,500 individuals rescued so far, as reported by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.67
Rescuers have struggled to reach devastated communities four days after a massive chunk of ice and rock broke off a mountaintop, triggering the floods. The disaster was so severe that it was initially registered as a magnitude-4.4 earthquake by seismic monitors.12
Of those missing, 589 are foreign nationals, and the Nepal Tourism Board has confirmed that 261 foreign nationals have been rescued.
The State Department has stated that it is not aware of any confirmed American deaths, but the uncertainty surrounding the large number of U.S. citizens still unaccounted for has heightened concerns.
Among the missing are Raghu Rajan and Archana Suresh from Murphy, Texas, who were in the area for a religious journey to Mount Kailash when the floods struck. Their last known location was near a bridge that has since washed away.131415
Families are urged to contact the State Department for information about their loved ones, as the search and rescue operations continue amidst the devastation.
“The disaster began Wednesday when a massive chunk of ice and rock broke off a mountaintop, triggering a flood that was initially registered as a magnitude-4.4 earthquake. More than 7,500 people have been rescued, but damaged roads and power outages hamper efforts, with China separately reporting 7 deaths and 554 missing in Tibet.”
