One Canadian Found as Search Continues for Missing in Nepal Floods: Foreign Minister

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced that one Canadian has been found as search continues for those missing after flash floods struck a region of Nepal near its border with Tibet

“Today, through our network of contacts on the ground, we have learned that one Canadian who was previously unaccounted for has been located safely,” Anand said in a statement on Aug. 29. “This brings the total number of Canadians whose whereabouts haven’t been confirmed to 31.”

Anand said that telecommunications were being restored in affected areas, and that Chinese authorities have categorized the risk of secondary flooding as “controllable.”

The statement did not provide identifying details about the individual who was found.

Canada has provided $5 million in humanitarian assistance to support emergency relief efforts in Nepal.

The Nepal-Tibet border was struck by devastating flash floods on Aug. 26 after a section of glacier near the region collapsed, sending an ice-and-rock avalanche into the Lhende River, with the river becoming temporarily blocked by debris before the resulting natural dam bursting and sending a surge of water and debris into the Bhote Koshi River.

In its latest update, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that 734 bodies have been recovered and approximately 2,498 people are still unaccounted for.

A separate update provided by the Nepal Tourism Board said that 289 foreign nationals have been rescued, contact has been made with another five, and 591 are still unaccounted for, as of 6:00 p.m., Aug. 30, local time. Of those rescued foreign nationals, 180 are from India and 89 from China, accounting for the majority. Others are from Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Malta, Oman, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States.

Nepal typically sees fewer tourists in August, which is the country’s monsoon season, with numbers for the month generally around 90,000.

Nepal is home to the Himalayas, including Mount Everest, making the country a major destination for trekkers, mountaineers, and other adventure tourists.