In Nepal, 53 Ukrainian citizens are currently listed as missing following the natural disaster, including 46 tourists with whom contact was lost on Wednesday morning, the press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters.
According to the Nepal Tourism Police, a total of 53 Ukrainian citizens are currently considered missing as a result of the natural disaster. Thus, the 46 tourists are included in the total number of missing persons.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a report regarding the loss of contact this morning with a group of 46 Ukrainian tourists in the disaster zone. Overall, according to the Nepal Tourism Police, 53 Ukrainian citizens are currently considered missing as a result of the disaster,” the statement reads.
The Ukrainian embassies in India and China are in contact with the relevant authorities in those countries regarding search operations that could help locate the Ukrainian citizens.
“At the same time, as of now, there is no information regarding the presence of Ukrainian citizens among the dead or injured,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted.
According to information released by the ministry on Wednesday evening, at the personal instruction of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, the Ukrainian embassies in India and China are using the known personal data of the missing citizens to take steps to establish contact with them and carry out other necessary actions.
In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “hotline” has received eight reports from relatives regarding the loss of contact with individuals on the aforementioned list. These reports are part of the total of 53 Ukrainian citizens who are currently considered missing.
The Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Nepal has also been involved on the ground.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Consular Service, and the Ukrainian embassies in India and China are working to gather additional information, coordinate with foreign authorities to locate the Ukrainians, and provide information and assistance to their relatives.
As previously reported, as of Wednesday evening, at least 16 people had died as a result of flooding in Nepal’s Rasuwa District on the border with China, and at least 384 tourists are considered missing. Among them are 93 Nepalese residents and 291 foreigners, including citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and India. The citizenship of 111 people is still being determined.
Nine police officers who were on duty along the Nepal-China border are missing.
The nationalities of the deceased have not been specified.
During the search and rescue operations, security forces managed to rescue 25 people. Operations are ongoing.
The flooding was caused by rising water levels in the Bhote Koshi River, which originates in Tibet and flows through Nepal. The settlements located near the river were hit the hardest, particularly Timure and Syaaprubesi. The water flooded marketplaces and residential neighborhoods, caused serious damage to police stations and hydroelectric facilities, and destroyed bridges and roads.
According to preliminary data, the rise in the river’s water level may have been caused by a landslide in Tibet.
The Ukrainian embassies in India and China promptly contacted the relevant authorities to inquire whether any Ukrainian citizens were among those affected by the landslides on the border between Tibet and Nepal.
