Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said on Thursday that more than 300 Indians are among the 800 people who went missing following a flash flood that struck the country on Wednesday, leaving at least 178 people dead and causing widespread damages across the Himalayan nation.
"Thousands of families have lost homes and are missing as of now. We are still trying to ascertain the full extent of the disaster," Khanal was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Nepal, a landlocked country between India and China that is extremely prone to flash floods, is a common tourist destination among the Indians. Earlier, it was reported that 133 Indians, including at least 50 pilgrims for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, were among the more than 750 people who had gone missing.
The Indian Embassy in Nepal is monitoring the situation and issued helpline numbers, +977 985 131 6807 and +977 970 910 7500, for those who need help. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also held a telephonic conversation with his Nepali counterpart Balen Shah, assuring that New Delhi would provide all the possible assistance to Kathmandu.
India has also sent tonnes of relief materials to Nepal.
"Thank you Hon. EAM @DrSJaishankar and the Government of India for the generous humanitarian aid and critical medical supplies extended to support our flood relief operations. India’s swift response reflects the strength of our bilateral partnership and mutual solidarity in this difficult hour," Khanal said in a post on X earlier, while thanking India for its help.
While the situation remains critical, an alert was issued for Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar: the three states that border Nepal. The authorities are monitoring the situation consistently and stated that the next 24 hours will be critical.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have also been deployed, and they are patrolling the vulnerable regions, keeping a close watch of water levels of rivers flowing to India through Nepal.
"The Central Water Commission (CWC) subsequently issued an advisory about the possibility of increased water levels in the Gandak River. In view of this, we had been monitoring the situation at regular intervals since morning, and we were also directed to keep a close watch. The state governments are also making their preparations accordingly," NDRF Commandant Gyaneshwar Singh told PTI on Wednesday.
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