Over 275 Indians missing after Nepal-Tibet border flash floods

The Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday that more than 275 Indian nationals are missing following Wednesday's flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet frontier, with an additional 128 persons of Indian origin remaining uncontactable. However, rescue operations have yielded positive results, with 108 individuals successfully rescued from the disaster zone.

In a positive development, 598 Indian nationals have crossed from China into Nepal over the past two days, the MEA confirmed. Approximately 900 more Indians remain on the Chinese side of the border but are reported to be safe and in regular contact with authorities.

Realizing the scale of the humanitarian challenge, New Delhi has ramped up its assistance to the affected region. Late Saturday night, India airlifted a fourth consignment of 11 tonnes of relief materials to Nepal aboard an Indian Air Force C-130J military transport aircraft. The flight carried not only supplies but also specialist personnel to bolster ongoing search and rescue operations.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed that the aircraft transported a technical contingent equipped for rescue operations, alongside a team of forensic experts and DNA analysis equipment. The forensic specialists will coordinate with Nepalese authorities to identify remains of those killed in the disaster, a critical aspect of the recovery operation.