China Identifies 261 Foreign Nationals Missing in Himalayan Mudslide

BEIJING: China has said that 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries are missing on the Tibetan side of the border with Nepal following a devastating mudslide that swept through the Himalayan region, while the death toll in Tibet has risen to 16.

According to officials from China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, nationals of Nepal account for the largest number of missing foreigners at 104, followed by 49 Indians, 33 Latvians, 18 Americans and 15 British nationals. Chinese authorities have notified the respective foreign missions about the missing people.

The nationality breakdown is the first released by Chinese authorities since a glacier collapse on Wednesday unleashed a massive torrent of ice, rocks, mud and debris down rivers in the Himalayan region.

The disaster has caused widespread destruction on both sides of the China-Nepal border, with rescue teams continuing efforts to locate missing people and assist survivors. Chinese authorities have described the rescue operation as exceptionally difficult because of damaged infrastructure, challenging terrain and continuing risks in the affected area.