At least 160 people have been killed, and hundreds are missing after huge floods swept away villages in Nepal, damaging roads, bridges and power projects in areas near Tibet, authorities said.
Nepali police said late on Wednesday that they had recovered 157 bodies and that officers were continuing to try to move people away from risk areas.
Authorities said the disaster struck areas near the Nepal-Tibet border, triggering widespread destruction and disrupting communication with several tourist groups. Rescue teams have been deployed as efforts continue to locate those unaccounted for.
According to official figures, more than 400 visitors were initially reported missing, including hundreds of foreign tourists. A significant number of those yet to be traced are believed to be from India, while others come from countries such as Malaysia, the United Kingdom, South Korea, South Africa, the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy.
Some foreign nationals were reportedly travelling in organised tour groups, while others were working or trekking in affected areas. Authorities are still verifying the identities and nationalities of several missing persons.
The floods have also left dozens of Nepali citizens unaccounted for, adding to concerns over the scale of the disaster.
Nepal, a major destination for trekkers and mountaineers, attracts thousands of visitors annually to its Himalayan landscapes, including routes leading to some of the world’s highest peaks.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing as emergency responders race against time to locate survivors and assess the full extent of the damage caused by the floods.
