Hundreds Of Foreigners Remain Unaccounted For After The Disaster

Desperate families are currently combing through hospitals and morgues in Nepal. They are searching for missing foreigners a week after catastrophic floods destroyed the Himalayan border region. Sanjeev Rai flew to Kathmandu from America to find his wife, Jiwan Jyoti. She disappeared while returning from a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. The village where she stayed remains completely inaccessible due to the destruction. Rai admitted he no longer expects to find her alive. He just wants her DNA to match so he can finally mourn.

A Staggering Death Toll

The August 26 flood represents one of the deadliest disasters in recent Himalayan history. A massive wave of debris killed more than 1,200 people. Over 4,750 people remain missing across Nepal and China's Tibet region. The flood completely smashed towns, roads, and multiple hydropower dams. Nepali police confirmed they rescued 294 foreigners, mostly Chinese and Indian nationals. However, 583 foreigners remain completely unaccounted for today. Many of the missing are pilgrims who prepared for months to trek around Mount Kailash.

International Search Efforts Continue

The British embassy set up a reception center for grieving families. They also brought in psychosocial experts to help relatives cope with the agonizing wait. Among the missing are 77 pilgrims from the Isha Foundation. This group includes Europeans, North Americans, and Australians. Volunteer searchers visit the police daily to check rescue photos. The entire group vanished near the Gyirong border crossing when the disaster struck. Nepal police started collecting DNA samples from relatives to build an identification database. Overseas families can submit their samples through their home countries. Meanwhile, travel agencies fear this disaster will severely damage Nepal's crucial tourism sector. Read more about international recovery efforts and global news at The WAU.

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