At least 105 Indians and 37 NRIs are among nearly 400 people reported missing after a massive flash flood swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa district near the Tibet border on Wednesday, killing at least 95 people and causing widespread damage to settlements and infrastructure. The sudden surge in the Bhote Koshi River struck the Rasuwagadhi-Timure area at around 9 am local time, affecting Rasuwa as well as parts of neighbouring Nuwakot and Dhading districts.

105 Indians, 37 missingAccording to a preliminary list compiled by the Nepal Tourism Board, 384 travellers, including 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali nationals, have been reported missing following the flash flood. Of the foreign nationals, 105 are Indian tourists and 37 are non-resident Indians (NRIs).

The list also includes travellers from the US, Malaysia, the UK, South Africa, Australia and the Netherlands, while the nationalities of some others are yet to be confirmed. The Tourism Board said the list is preliminary and is being verified in coordination with travel agencies, guides, local authorities and security agencies.

It urged travellers and their families not to draw conclusions until the verification process is complete. Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims among those missingA large number of those out of contact are believed to be pilgrims travelling to Tibet for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

“Except for a few, we have not been able to establish contact with the pilgrims as of 3pm,” Adhikari said, according to The Kathmandu Post. Sagar Pandey, president of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, said efforts were underway to contact the pilgrims and assess their condition.

Several dead, rescue operations under wayThe death toll from the catastrophic flash floods along Nepal’s Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors has risen to 95, according to official updates, Reuters reported. The flooding, which originated in the Rasuwa border area and surged downstream, has affected several districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan.

Police said 93 people have also been injured. Four bodies were recovered from Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot and found near the Trishuli river, police said.

The Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been deployed for search-and-rescue operations. Fourteen helicopters, along with drones and sniffer dogs, are being used to locate missing people and assist those stranded in affected areas.