Search on for missing Britons in Nepal amid fears of new floods
Nepalese policemen watch as earthmovers clear the debris of flash flooding in Nepal’s Nuwakot district (Niranjan Shrestha/AP) AP Sam Hall 5 minutes ago Rescuers are searching for dozens of missing British nationals in Nepal , amid fears that more floods could hit the devastated area.
More than 30 British nationals are among hundreds of people missing and feared dead as rescue efforts continue following flooding in the Rasuwa district, which borders China’s autonomous region of Tibet.
In an update on Friday morning, Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said 469 bodies had been recovered, 977 people remained unaccounted for and more than 3,000 had been rescued.
On Thursday, the authority said 517 foreign nationals were out of contact.
Officials have warned of a possible further flooding risk from a lake of rising water at the flood site along the China-Nepal border.
China has warned that a barrier lake formed at the confluence of the Tsogyal and Purupqiangzangbu rivers is overflowing and could burst.
NDRRMA said satellite information from China suggested the river was “blocked” and a lake had formed near the site of the floods.
The UK has offered £5 million to help the Nepalese government amid a “very distressing and devastating situation”, the Prime Minister said.
The King said he and the Queen were “heartbroken” and sent their “most profound sympathy” to those affected.
Flash floods on Wednesday caused rivers to burst their banks and covered populated areas in thick mud, burying houses and creating difficult conditions for rescuers.
Videos posted on social media appeared to show huge floodwaters surging through valleys as people screamed in terror, with bridges being washed away.
A girl cries as she waits for news of relatives missing after flash floods in Bidur, Nepal’s Nuwakot district (Niranjan Shrestha/AP) AP Other videos showed people desperately fleeing uphill to escape the surging muddy floodwaters.
Two teenagers, a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, are among the 33 British nationals believed to be unaccounted for.
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