At least 33 Brits missing after Nepal-Tibet floods as desperate search continues

At least 33 British nationals are among hundreds of people missing after catastrophic flash floods swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region, with rescue teams continuing a desperate search for survivors. The disaster has killed hundreds of people after a sudden torrent of water, ice, mud and debris tore through mountainous communities and tourist routes.

Nepalese authorities said 389 bodies had been recovered by Thursday evening, while hundreds more people remained unaccounted for. The latest reports say the death toll has since risen further, with the overall number of missing people across Nepal and Tibet exceeding 1,500.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Get the latest news from around the world and more Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

The Nepal government said 33 British nationals were among 596 foreign nationals still missing in the country, according to its latest available breakdown. The missing foreigners come from 33 countries and include large numbers of tourists and pilgrims.

Many of those caught up in the disaster had been travelling towards Mount Kailash, a sacred site in Tibet popular with Hindu pilgrims, as well as on trekking and tourist trips through the remote Himalayan region.

Several British nationals are understood to have been travelling with organised tour groups when the floods struck.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

One tour operator confirmed it could not account for seven UK nationals – five women and two men aged between 18 and 55.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT

Another group travelling towards Mount Kailash included four British men aged 14, 50, 50 and 54, alongside five women aged between 40 and 53.

A 13-year-old British girl is also among those reported missing, according to her tour operator.

Among those desperately waiting for news is Pramod Poudel, who lives in Uckfield, East Sussex, and is now travelling back to Nepal to search for his wife, mother, brother and uncle, who have all been missing since the floods struck.

Poudel, who runs a Nepalese food truck, said he had been unable to contact his family since Wednesday's disaster and had seen images showing that the area where they lived had been devastated.

He said he was returning because his "family needs me", describing the situation as an "extremely difficult time" for him, his family and his country.

With bridges destroyed and power and electricity cut off, Poudel said there was little information about those still missing and families were struggling to establish contact with loved ones.

"Nobody knows what happened," he said, explaining that the destruction had made it impossible for people to cross the affected areas or communicate normally.

Poudel said he had seen pictures of where his home town once stood and that "nothing remains", as the scale of the devastation became clear.

Sarada Simkhada, a senior nurse at Darent Valley Hospital in Kent, who was making a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, is also one of the people missing.

Her brother Shambhu said on social media: "My dear sister, wherever you are, please stay strong. We are praying for your safety every moment and waiting desperately for you to return home."

Leena Bector, a care agency director from Slough, is also among travellers currently unaccounted for.

Hema Amin, from Croydon, began a pilgrimage to Gosainkunda lake earlier this week.

Her husband, Sunil Amin, told Sky News: "I keep trying to call her. I've been trying, trying, trying."

In Coventry, relatives of missing couple Mala and Bipin Patel are also waiting for news after they travelled to Nepal and Tibet on pilgrimage.

Their son, Anant Patel, described the situation as "shocking" and said the family had received little information about their whereabouts.

The floods struck the Himalayan border region on Wednesday after a glacier collapse triggered a massive surge of water and debris.

The resulting torrent swept through villages, destroyed roads and bridges and damaged major infrastructure.

The president of the Nepal Centre for Disaster Management, Bishal Nath Upreti, described the disaster as a "tsunami from the sky", saying entire villages had been wiped out along a 40 to 50-kilometre stretch.

Rescue teams have been using helicopters, drones and search dogs to locate people in the worst-hit areas, but damaged roads, high river levels, thick mud and destroyed communications infrastructure have made the operation extremely difficult.

The disaster has also created fears of further flooding after water accumulated behind debris and formed a new lake upstream. Authorities have warned communities along downstream rivers to remain alert.

The UK Government has offered £5 million in support for Nepal's disaster response and has deployed consular staff to help British nationals and their families.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Government was "in touch with the relevant authorities" and would do everything possible to support British nationals affected by the disaster.