Rescue Efforts Continue for Missing U.S. Nationals in Nepal After Flash Floods
Nepali officials confirmed that one of the many U.S. nationals missing after flash floods on the Nepal-Tibet border has been contacted. About 85 Americans are still unaccounted for. This contact brings hope to families worldwide awaiting news on their loved ones. CBS News is verifying the details of the case, including the identity and condition of the individual.
Authorities report over 4,600 people missing and at least 1,050 dead in Nepal alone. In Tibet, Chinese officials confirmed 16 fatalities and more than 550 people missing. The disaster unfolded as a side effect of a mountainside and glacier collapse, which caused avalanches and subsequent flash floods in the region.
The Nepal Tourism Board provided an official document indicating rescuers have made contact with five foreign nationals, including an unidentified American, three Spaniards, and one Belgian. To date, a total of 315 foreign nationals have been rescued.
“It’s like 60, 70 feet, it looked like a tsunami, but dark black. I could see this monster thing coming down. At that point I didn’t know if it was water. I thought it was fire, forest fire, honestly.” – Pattabiraman Venkatesan, a survivor.
CBS News spoke with two Americans, Anjana Raja and Pattabiraman Venkatesan, who were rescued from the disaster zone. The couple, traveling from the San Francisco Bay Area, described their experience as witnessing a massive wave while on a tour bus. They escaped and found refuge overnight in a goat shed with other survivors before being airlifted to safety.
About 600 workers at hydroelectric power plants remain missing in Nepal. They are believed trapped within several projects in the disaster area. Search and rescue teams are working to clear blocked tunnels and relieve concerns about dwindling oxygen levels inside.
Rohit Tamang, a local resident, recounted watching the floodwaters surge, expressing his unwillingness to leave his lifelong home despite the devastation. This event marked the highest swelling of the Trishuli River in memory.
Nepal’s foreign minister mentioned the possibility that many foreigners may have been trekking in the mountains when the floods hit, potentially leaving them stranded but safe. There is hope that more positive news could emerge from the Himalayas.