Tourists previously reported missing in Nepal have made contact with authorities, officials announced Wednesday. The development comes as families of locals still unaccounted for after last week's catastrophic floods held symbolic funerals for their loved ones.
Nepal’s Foreign Ministry stated that 324 foreign nationals have been rescued, with 590 individuals from 39 countries still missing following the Aug. 26 floods. The country's disaster management agency reports at least 1,204 fatalities and over 4,200 missing.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the number of Australians missing in the disaster had decreased from 43 to 38, as five were confirmed safe overnight. The Australian government announced it would deploy a team of drone operators to Nepal to aid search and rescue operations.
Sunil Sharma, a spokesperson for the Nepal Tourism Board, indicated that at least five other tourists reported missing had recently contacted authorities via email or telephone.
The disaster is believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, which sent rock, ice, and meltwater into the valleys below. The resulting floods surged into rivers flowing through Tibet and Nepal, causing them to rise rapidly and sweeping away homes, buildings, roads, and bridges.
In Nuwakot, one of Nepal's most affected districts, some families have conducted symbolic funerals for relatives who remain missing. This practice, rooted in Hindu tradition where cremation is a significant final rite, is intended to provide spiritual release for the departed and closure for the living.
Mukunda Rijal shared that his cousins and their daughters have not been found, prompting his family to perform a symbolic funeral for them. Along the Trishuli River, a priest placed straw effigies representing the missing family members, covered them with wood, and set them ablaze, surrounded by offerings to Hindu deities as relatives observed the rites.
Authorities in Nepal are also burying recovered bodies in temporary graves pending identification. DNA samples are being preserved, and distinguishing features are being photographed and recorded to aid in matching remains with missing persons.
On the Chinese side of the border, rescue crews completed a temporary road to the disaster site at Gyirong Port, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Crews are working to clear access for heavy machinery at the border crossing complex, which was destroyed by the floods. At least 21 people have been killed and 541 remain missing in China, Xinhua reported.
Survivors of the devastation are seeking shelter in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. Approximately 400 individuals, many from the town of Timure, are staying at the Yellow Gumba monastery, with relief supplies provided by individuals and charities. Riya Tamang, who fled with her infant child, is among those sheltering at the monastery, having lost her grandparents in the disaster.