Families of foreign tourists still await news after Nepal floods
Hundreds of foreign visitors remain missing following the August 26 Bhotekoshi floods, and relatives are pressing Nepalese authorities for official status updates.
After the catastrophic floods on August 26, the Tourist Police list 795 missing tourists, of whom 607 are foreign nationals from nations including India, the United States, Malaysia, Ukraine, China and several European countries. Relatives have been gathering at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu, demanding death certificates or at least official acknowledgment of their relatives' status, but officials explain that certificates require confirmed deaths or identified bodies.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created an Emergency Response Team that fields 13 to 14 daily email or WhatsApp queries, though the volume of contacts is decreasing. Search efforts have included helicopter flights, but lack of precise location data and cross-border complications, especially on the Chinese side of Rasuwagadhi, hinder progress. Families continue to stay in Kathmandu, posting photographs at hospitals and hotels while awaiting any news of rescues or confirmations.
Why it matters
Missing tourists highlight gaps in disaster response and cross-border coordination, affecting families worldwide.
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