Kathmandu, Sept 18: More than three weeks after the August 26 Bhotekoshi flood, 606 foreign nationals from 36 countries remain missing, according to the Department of Tourism.
The missing include pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar through tour companies and visitors heading to Gosainkunda for the Janai Purnima festival. More than 188 domestic tourists are also unaccounted for.
Department spokesperson Suraj Ghimire said Indian nationals make up the largest group, with 189 still missing. The department’s figures also list 65 Americans, 55 Malaysians, 54 Ukrainians, 37 Chinese nationals, 33 Australians, 33 Latvians, 32 British nationals and 30 Canadians.
Others reported missing are from Belarus, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Japan, the Philippines, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Vietnam, Estonia and Korea.
Ghimire said 310 foreign tourists had been rescued. Separately, 13 people who lost contact after the flood have been traced and are now in touch with authorities.
Local administrations and security agencies have stepped up search and relief operations as efforts continue to locate those still missing.
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