Nepal and Tibet: Deadly Disaster Leaves Over 1,000 Missing

07:36

Rescue operations continued Thursday in the affected regions of Nepal and Tibet, following an unprecedented natural disaster. The provisional toll reports at least 165 dead, while more than a thousand people are still missing, according to data provided by the authorities.

In Nepal, search teams have recovered 162 bodies after a devastating flood accompanied by landslides. The situation remains particularly concerning for the hundreds of travelers whose whereabouts are still unknown to the authorities.

The Nepalese Tourism Department has listed 468 missing persons, among whom 393 are foreign nationals. The missing individuals come from several countries, including India, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia, the Netherlands, the United States, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, and Ukraine.

Tourists from Various Nationalities Missing

The high number of missing travelers illustrates the international scale of this disaster. Among them are reportedly 142 Indian citizens. Australia has also reported 34 of its nationals missing, while several Japanese and South Korean citizens remain unaccounted for.

Authorities continue the search in areas made difficult to access by mudslides, infrastructure damage, and unstable terrain.

In Tibet, in southwestern China, the latest report indicates three dead and 558 people missing. Among those missing, 260 are said to be foreign nationals. This figure marks a significant worsening compared to the initial assessments made after the disaster.

The Hypothesis of a Glacier Collapse

According to information attributed to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the disaster may be linked to the collapse of a glacier. This phenomenon reportedly triggered a powerful flood, accompanied by a magnitude 5.2 earthquake and landslides.

The extent of the destruction raises fears of further worsening of the toll in the coming hours and days, as rescue efforts continue to locate the hundreds of missing persons.

Phenomena Aggravated by Climate Change

Floods and landslides are recurring risks in Nepal and several regions of South Asia during the monsoon season, typically between June and September.

The increase in extreme weather events also fuels concerns about the effects of climate change. Scientists emphasize that global warming contributes to intensifying the severity and, in some regions, the frequency of extreme natural phenomena, exacerbating the vulnerability of mountainous areas and the populations who live in or visit them.

In light of the scale of the tragedy, Nepalese and Chinese authorities remain mobilized, while search operations continue to locate the missing and assist affected populations.