At least 105 Indians are among 384 tourists reported missing after devastating flash floods swept through Nepal's Rasuwa district, bordering Tibet, on Wednesday, according to a preliminary situation update issued by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).
Most of the missing Indians were reportedly travelling towards Tibet for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. NTB said the 384 missing tourists include 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali citizens. The foreign nationals include travellers from India, the UK, Australia, US, Malaysia, South Africa and the Netherlands.
The figures remain preliminary and are being verified and cross-checked with travel agencies, local authorities, guides and security agencies, the tourism board said. The nationalities of some of the missing travellers have yet to be confirmed.
According to the preliminary information, the missing tourists are associated with nine travel agencies.
The flash flood struck the Bhote Koshi River at around 9am local time after a sudden surge came from the Tibet side, affecting Rasuwa and Dhading districts along the Tibet border and Nuwakot district, southwest of Kathmandu.
The disaster caused widespread destruction in settlements along the river, sweeping away houses and damaging roads, markets and critical infrastructure. At least a dozen hydropower projects were also damaged, according to officials.
Reports said at least seven people have been confirmed dead, while several others remain missing. Rescue agencies, local authorities and the Nepali army are continuing search and rescue operations in the affected areas.
The Nepal Tourism Board has urged tourists and their families to remain calm, monitor official information and follow instructions issued by authorities. It has also issued emergency contact numbers for people seeking information or assistance.
The emergency contacts include the toll-free number 1234, hotline 1144 and Tourist Police number 9851289445.
Indian Embassy Issues Emergency Numbers
The Embassy of India in Nepal has issued dedicated emergency contact numbers for Indian nationals affected by the floods and their families seeking information.
"For assistance and information related to Indian nationals that have been affected by the flash floods in Nepal today, the following emergency numbers may be contacted," the embassy said in a post on X.
The emergency numbers provided by the embassy are +977 985 131 6807 and +977 970 910 7500.
The embassy's intervention comes as authorities work to establish the whereabouts of hundreds of people reported missing following the sudden flooding.
PM Modi Speaks to Nepal Counterpart
Prime minister (PM) Narendra Modi spoke with Nepal PM Balendra Shah and expressed condolences over the loss of lives caused by the floods.
Mr Modi also conveyed India's readiness to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal and said Indian teams were coordinating closely with the country's authorities on rescue and relief efforts.
"Spoke to Prime Minister Balendra Shah and conveyed condolences on the loss of lives due to the floods in Nepal. The people of India stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Nepal at this difficult time," Mr Modi said in a post on X.
"India is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal. Our teams are coordinating closely on rescue and relief efforts," he added.
The conversation came as the scale of the disaster emerged, with hundreds of people reported missing in the flood-hit Rasuwa region.
Rasuwa Bears the Brunt of Devastation
Rasuwa, a mountainous district in central Nepal bordering Tibet, has suffered some of the worst damage from the flash floods.
The sudden rise in the Bhote Koshi River affected settlements along its banks and damaged transport and energy infrastructure. Several houses were swept away, while markets, roads and hydropower projects were damaged.
The flooding also disrupted movement through the region, complicating efforts to trace missing tourists and residents.
Authorities are continuing to assess the extent of the destruction as rescue teams work in difficult conditions.
The disaster has affected not only local communities but also tourists travelling through the region towards the Tibet border, including people headed for the Kailash Manasarovar pilgrimage.
Nepal Government Steps Up Rescue and Relief Efforts
Nepal PM Balendra Shah convened a meeting meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management to receive an assessment of the flood situation and the progress of search, rescue and relief operations.
Mr Shah also consulted federal parliamentarians from affected areas, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan.
The discussions focused on the damage caused by the disaster, the condition of settlements along affected waterways and the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
The prime minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to protecting affected citizens and directed subordinate agencies to maintain additional vigilance in low-lying areas and move displaced people to safer locations.
Search and rescue operations remain underway, with authorities continuing to verify the number and identities of people affected.
Missing Tourist Numbers Remain Subject to Verification
The NTB has stressed that the figure of 384 missing tourists is preliminary. Authorities are cross-checking the information with travel agencies, guides, local authorities and security agencies before arriving at a final figure.
This is particularly important given the scale of disruption caused by the flash floods and the difficulty of establishing communication and movement records in the affected mountainous region.
Of the 384 tourists initially reported missing, 291 are foreign nationals and 93 are Nepali citizens. India accounts for 105 of the foreign nationals identified so far.
The figure could, therefore, change as authorities establish contact with travellers and verify reports from different agencies.
Meanwhile, rescue and relief teams continue operations in the flood-affected areas, while Indian and Nepali authorities coordinate efforts regarding Indian nationals.
