Nine American citizens have been safely evacuated from Nepal following devastating floods, with approximately 85 others still unaccounted for, according to the State Department. The catastrophic floods, which began Wednesday near the Nepal-Tibet border, have resulted in at least 750 deaths and left over 3,000 people missing.
"We've also now seen nine Americans safely evacuated. We are currently unaware of any U.S. citizen deaths at this time," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told ABC News. He added that the remoteness of the affected areas makes gathering reliable information challenging.
US embassies in Kathmandu and Beijing are working around the clock to coordinate with local authorities and assist in search and rescue operations. The State Department has activated $3.6 million in emergency humanitarian assistance, which includes provisions for food for up to 10,000 flood-affected households for three months.
The disaster was triggered by a massive glacial collapse and debris flow, initially detected as a magnitude 5.2 earthquake by the U.S. Geological Survey. The event created a fast-moving torrent of water, debris, and rocks that swept through villages. Officials in Nepal have warned of the potential for new flooding as water levels have risen in the Bhotekosi River, with a newly formed lake holding an estimated 1.4 million cubic meters of water still posing a risk.
Among those evacuated were Anjana Raja and her husband, Pattabiraman Venkatesan, who described fleeing their bus on foot as the landslide approached near the Chinese border. They managed to reach higher ground with their tour group, and all on the bus survived.
However, other Americans remain missing, including Ramesh Sharma, 65, and his wife Neelam, 64, from New York, who were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. Prabhath Sajeepa, a tech worker from San Francisco, and other Americans traveling with the Isha Foundation are also unaccounted for, having last been seen near the Gyirong immigration port area, where the building was engulfed by the landslide.
"Our priority is the safety and security of the American people," Pigott stated. He urged Americans in the region to register for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to aid in communication and tracking.