Nepal-Tibet Flooding Death Toll Exceeds 900, 4,000 Missing
The death toll from catastrophic flooding near Nepal's Tibetan border has surpassed 900, with 85 Americans among more than 4,700 people still missing after a glacier collapse.
Rescue teams are working around the clock at the Nepali-Tibetan border searching for more than 4,700 people still missing in the aftermath of last week’s deadly deluge, Nepal’s disaster agency confirmed Monday, as Richard Pollina reports in New York Post.
Among those unaccounted for are 592 foreign nationals, including the 85 Americans — many of whom had travelled to the Himalayan region on a religious pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, one of the most sacred peaks for Hindus, Buddhists and followers of other faiths.
Tri-State Residents Among the Missing
Three residents from the New York and New Jersey area are among those who vanished during the disaster. Amita Amin, 67, and Jitendra Manubhai Patel, 63, both from Long Island, along with New Jersey resident Tejal Vyomesh Patel, 64, were participating in the pilgrimage when they disappeared.
Nine Americans have been safely evacuated from Nepal since the tragedy struck, the US State Department confirmed Sunday.
Remote Terrain Hampering Rescue Operations
The State Department has been coordinating rescue efforts through US embassies in Nepal and China, but the remote mountainous terrain where the disaster occurred has created major logistical obstacles for search teams attempting to locate survivors.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told ABC News that American diplomatic personnel are working continuously to establish communication with local officials and obtain reliable information about missing citizens.
The department has activated $3.6 million in emergency humanitarian assistance for the affected region — funding intended to help 10,000 households and support the reconstruction of destroyed roads.
Glacier Collapse Triggers Apocalyptic Flood
The disaster was triggered by a glacier collapse near the Rasuwagadhi border post, where a subsequent landslide unleashed catastrophic flooding that swept away entire villages in a single devastating wave. Local officials described the event as a tsunami from the sky.
Rescue workers continue to dig through muddy terrain in desperate hope of finding survivors as the window for locating people alive continues to narrow.
With information from New York Post
