56 Ukrainians still missing in Nepal after massive floods
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Fifty-six Ukrainians are considered missing as search-and-rescue operations continue in Nepal following widespread flooding, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry told journalists on Aug. 29.
Severe flooding and landslides struck the Nepal-Tibet border on Aug. 26 after a glacier collapsed in the Himalayas. Powerful floodwaters inundated large parts of the border region, burying some of the villages under tons of mud and debris.
As of Aug. 29, there had been no reports of Ukrainian citizens being injured or killed, according to the ministry.
The ministry said it remained in close contact with the families of those reported missing. Meanwhile, Ukraine's embassies in India and China and its honorary consul in Nepal are maintaining round-the-clock contact with local authorities, search-and-rescue teams, tour operators, and foreign partners, the statement read.
At the request of Ukraine's embassy in India, Nepalese authorities contacted the company, whose name was not disclosed, that operates the geolocation devices carried by some Ukrainian citizens through Interpol. The company provided the devices' last recorded locations before the disaster and is continuing to try to determine their current locations to help with the search, the ministry said.
Search-and-rescue operations begin early each morning, but fog limits air operations to the first half of the day. On Aug. 28, rescue efforts were also temporarily suspended over the risk of a glacial lake outburst flood in Tibet.
On the Chinese side, firefighting and rescue teams have reached the central section of the Gyirong border crossing, one of the hardest-hit areas. More than 2,000 people and over 300 vehicles and other equipment have been deployed, with the operation coordinated by China's top leadership, the ministry said.
Road access to the disaster zone remains blocked due to extensive road damage and the risk of further landslides.
The floods have killed at least 626 people, while nearly 3,000 others remain missing, including at least 540 foreign nationals, in China and Nepal, Reuters reported on Aug. 29.
