Some missing tourists make contact as Nepal flood death toll tops 1,100
[September 02, 2026]
By SHRISTI KAFLE
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Some tourists previously reported missing in
Nepal have made contact with authorities, officials said Wednesday, as
search efforts continued following catastrophic floods that killed at
least 1,118 people and left more than 3,900 missing.
Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said 324 foreign nationals had been rescued so
far, while about 590 from 39 countries remained missing a week after the
Aug. 26 floods.
Missing tourists make contact
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday that the
number of Australians missing in the disaster had fallen from 43 to 38
after five were confirmed safe overnight.
“Amidst all of this tragedy, we are seeing some positive news. Today,
another five Australians have been confirmed safe,” Albanese told
reporters in Palau, where he is attending a regional summit.
“We hope, of course, for positive news further, and we’re doing
everything we can to work with authorities,” Albanese added.
Sunil Sharma, a spokesperson for the Nepal Tourism Board, said at least
five other foreign tourists who were previously reported missing had
contacted authorities by email or telephone in recent days.
China builds access road for rescue crews
On the Chinese side, rescue crews completed a makeshift road to the
disaster site at Gyirong Port on the Nepal border, state broadcaster
CCTV reported Wednesday.
Crews have been clearing access for heavy machinery to be used in the
search at the border crossing complex, which was washed away by the
floods. The road leading to the crossing was destroyed and buried under
water, mud and rocks.
China separately reported 16 deaths and 546 people missing as of Sunday.
The disaster began Aug. 26 in the Himalayas, when a glacial collapse
sent rock, ice and meltwater into valleys below, triggering powerful
floods downstream. The surge entered rivers flowing through Tibet and
Nepal, causing them to rise rapidly. Floodwaters swept away homes,
buildings, roads and bridges, carrying mud and rocks downstream.
[to top of second column]
|
A resident salvages usable material from his house damaged by flash
flooding at 1 Number Pul, in Nepal's Nuwakot district, Tuesday,
Sept. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Some survivors find shelter in Kathmandu
Some flood survivors are fleeing the devastation to seek shelter in
Nepal's capital Kathmandu.
Around 400 survivors, mostly from the town of Timure about 110
kilometers (65 miles) west of Kathmandu, have been staying at the
Yellow Gumba monastery, grieving lost family members and homes while
relying on one another for support. The shelter is being organized
by locals and relatives, with relief supplies coming from
individuals and charity organizations.
Among those at the monastery is 21-year-old Riya Tamang, who fled
with her 10-month-old baby as floodwaters approached.
“I was the last one to leave the house. It was so difficult to
escape,” she said.
Tamang lost her grandparents in the disaster. Her husband, who works
as a cook in Gyirong town on the Chinese side of the border, also
survived, and the couple now stays in touch through video calls.
___
Associated Press journalists Rod McGuirk in Melbourne and Huizhong
Wu in Bangkok contributed to this report.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
