King Charles has expressed his heartbreak following the deadly flash floods that have struck Nepal, as the search continues for dozens of people missing. Among the missing are 33 individuals from the United Kingdom, including a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy.
Flash floods hit Rasuwa, north of Nepal's capital Kathmandu, early on Wednesday. Preliminary reports suggested an earthquake might have caused the disaster, but analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey indicated that the seismic energy was generated by a landslide. The survey stated that a magnitude 5.2 seismic event, caused by a glacial collapse and debris flow, occurred near the Nepal-Tibet border at 8:37 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
Several tour companies have reported individuals missing from their groups. Alpine Eco Trek stated they have lost contact with 12 Britons booked on a tour to Mount Kailash, with a 13-year-old girl being the youngest among the missing. Four Nepali tour guides from the company are also unaccounted for. The Trekkers' Society reported nine UK nationals missing after they crossed the Nepal-Tibet border on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash; four males aged between 14 and 50, and five females aged 40 to 53 remain missing. Himalayan Glacier US had 47 guests on a pilgrimage, with two British citizens among them. Kailash Journeys reported 27 guests and staff missing, including two British men. Fishtail Tours confirmed one British person from their tour is missing.
Mount Kailash, a peak in the Himalayas near the border between Nepal and Tibet, is a significant spiritual site for Hindus. The journey to the mountain is part of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a sacred pilgrimage that had only recently resumed after disruptions from the pandemic and tensions between India and China.
