KATHMANDU, Aug 28: More than 700 foreign tourists remain out of contact following Wednesday’s devastating Bhotekoshi flood, while 121 stranded foreign tourists have been rescued from different locations, according to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).
A total of 723 foreign tourists remain unaccounted for following the disaster. Nepali citizens living abroad who had come to Nepal for travel are also among those who remain out of contact.
Indian nationals make up the largest number of foreign tourists rescued so far, with 85 brought to safety. The rescued tourists also include 16 Chinese and nine South Koreans.
Only three rescued alive as 121 remain trapped in hydropower tu...
Two tourists each from the United States, Russia and Italy, and one each from Bulgaria and Switzerland, have also been rescued, according to the NTB. The nationalities of three other rescued tourists have yet to be established.
“Government agencies are currently searching for everyone who remains out of contact. Relatives of missing foreign tourists have also informed us that their family members went out of contact while traveling in Nepal,” said Sunil Sharma, spokesperson for the NTB. “Search efforts are continuing in all possible locations.”
The tourists had travelled to the flood-affected areas through various trekking and travel agencies. According to Sharma, many Indian tourists use the route to travel to Tibet’s Kailash Mansarovar, while other foreign tourists may have been trekking in the Langtang and Ruby Valley areas.
“The route used by Indian tourists heading to Kailash Mansarovar and the route used by other foreign tourists travelling towards Langtang have been damaged,” Sharma said. “Efforts are underway to determine the whereabouts and safety of the tourists.”
Various trekking and travel companies have provided the NTB with details of foreign tourists they had sent on trekking trips and Kailash Mansarovar tours.
The NTB said some Nepali nationals who remain out of contact were trekking guides accompanying foreign tourists.
