At least 13 Nepalese missing in Uttarakhand disaster

Kathmandu: At least 13 Nepalese nationals are missing in India's Uttarakhand, officials said here Thursday.

Multiple monsoon-related natural disasters have struck Uttarakhand state this week with the most prominent being Tuesday's flash floods ravaging Dharali village in Uttarkashi district where several buildings were damaged or swept away in the raging waters with debris.

The Nepalese missing are from Kushe Rural Municipality of Jajarkot district, a statement from Harishchandra Basnet, chairman of Kukshe Rural Municipality said.

“At least 13 people of ward number 2 of Kushe and few more people from other wards have not come into contact since the incident,” it said.

Basnet urged the Nepal government and Foreign Ministry to immediately make diplomatic initiatives for carrying out speedy and effective search and rescue operations of the missing people in the landslide and flood affected area.