When a massive landslide triggered a flood that swept through the Trishuli River valley on Wednesday, it devastated already‑vulnerable Nepali communities and sent shockwaves across the globe. The disaster struck a region popular for trekking, rafting and religious pilgrimages to sacred sites such as Mount Kailash, drawing visitors from many faiths and nations.
Foreign nationals among the missing
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, at least 517 foreign nationals are now missing in Nepal. The count includes 178 Indian pilgrims, 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 35 Australians, 33 Britons, 25 Canadians and dozens from more than two dozen other countries. On the Chinese side of the border, state media reports 260 foreign nationals are among the 558 missing.
Personal stories of worry
Families worldwide are anxiously awaiting news. In the United States, a 14‑year‑old American girl and two Australian teenagers, ages 12 and 14, were part of a tour group that has not been heard from since the flood. American Radhika Sharma, whose parents were on a religious pilgrimage, described the past 24 hours as “the worst” of her life.
In New York, Nepali restaurant owner Pema D. Gurung said he cannot reach his friends in the affected districts because communications were cut off. In Ottawa, Canada, resident Rojina Dhungana learned that her hometown on the Trishuli Riverbank was swept away, though her parents are safe.
Impact on local communities
The hardest‑hit districts—Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading—are home to more than half a million people, many of whom rely on agriculture and a growing tourism industry. The region has already struggled with poverty and the lingering effects of the 2015 earthquake, which killed over 8,000 people. Residents who rebuilt their lives on the river’s low‑lying banks now face another catastrophic event.
Local families are searching for loved ones, from tour guides like 21‑year‑old Suman Dahal, who was returning to Kathmandu, to healthcare workers and other residents caught in the flood.
Rescue efforts continue
Authorities on both sides of the border have not released official names of the dead or missing as rescue operations proceed. Social media is filled with pleas for help from the Nepali diaspora, who number more than 2.1 million worldwide.
The disaster also highlights the risks associated with foreign‑backed hydropower projects in the area, as all nine South Korean workers missing were employed on a hydropower plant under construction.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
