290 Indians out of contact after Nepal floods: MEA
Synopsis
With 290 Indian nationals out of contact — including Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims and hydropower workers — the Nepal floods along the Bhote Koshi river have become a full-scale consular emergency for India. Nepal Police report 644 missing in total, 389 bodies recovered, and destruction stretching from Rasuwa to Chitwan. The disaster's cross-border trigger and multinational toll signal one of the worst flood events in the region in recent memory.
Key Takeaways
The MEA confirmed 290 Indian nationals are out of contact after floods along the Bhote Koshi river in Nepal as of 27 August .
63 Indian workers at the Trishuli-I project in Rasuwa district are among those affected; 21 Tamil Nadu pilgrims on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra are also unreachable.
Nepal Police reported 644 people missing in total — 517 foreign nationals and 127 Nepalis — with 389 bodies recovered.
The floods were reportedly triggered by an avalanche on a transboundary river between Nepal and China upstream of the Bhote Koshi.
The US State Department confirmed 3 Americans rescued ; China said nearly 100 Chinese nationals remain missing on the Nepalese side.
Hardest-hit districts include Rasuwa , Nuwakot , Chitwan , Nawalparasi East , and Dhading .
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday, 27 August confirmed that 290 Indian nationals remain out of contact following the devastating floods along the Bhote Koshi river in Nepal. The disaster, likely triggered by an avalanche on a transboundary river between Nepal and China upstream of the Bhote Koshi, has caused widespread destruction across the Himalayan nation and left hundreds missing across multiple nationalities.
Indians Affected: Workers and Pilgrims Among the Missing
Among the 290 unreachable Indians, 63 workers at the Trishuli-I hydropower project in Rasuwa district are confirmed to be affected. Notably, 21 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu who had travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra are also among those whose whereabouts remain unknown. The MEA has been coordinating with Nepali authorities to track and assist affected Indian nationals.
Rescued Indian Nationals
The MEA released a list of Indian nationals who have been successfully rescued. The first group includes Sumit Kumar Khare, Mukesh Kumar, Sachin Kumar, Jashmant Singh, Chandan Tiwari, Devan Kumar Shah, Amrendra Kumar Yadav, Om Prakash Yadav, Sampat Kumar, Neeraj Kumar Thakur, Jay Hansda, Sunil Kumar Singh, Upendra Barnmal, Rahul Kumar Gupta, Neeraj Kumar Patel, Sanover Alam, Upendra Bhasin, Yogesh Kumar, Md Akram Alam, Md Inzamamul Haque, Abhishek Kumar, Abhishek Yadav, Mangal Singh, Pankaj Kumar Shah, Nilesh Kumar, Ashutosh Mankopadhyay, Lakshman Tiwari, and Ganguli Patel.
A second group of rescued individuals includes Indrajeet Kumar, Gyan Singh, Jay Krishna, Shahrukh, Nipindra Mandal, Saddam Hussain, Raj Kumar Tiwari, Alok Kumar Shah, Arun Kumar Shah, Satyendra Kumar Singh, Bittu Kumar, Adi Abed Basumatary, KK Pandey, Abhishek Tiwari, Akash, Pradeep, Ranjan Kumar, Pavan Lodhi, Anil, Vijay Prasad, Narayan Bahadur, Janmejay Singh, Sunil Giri, Roshan Kumar, Vishamer Singh, Suhail Mustafa, Nilesh, Pramod Gupta, Jitendar Ram, Nitesh Kumar Singh, Nijauadin, Kavi Kumar, and Rohit Verma.
Scale of the Disaster: Nepal's Missing Toll
According to Nepal Police, a total of 644 people were reported missing by late Thursday afternoon, of whom 517 are foreign nationals and 127 are Nepali citizens. The worst-hit districts include Rasuwa and Nuwakot. Separately, the bodies of 389 people swept away by the floods have been recovered, with the highest toll recorded in Chitwan at 137, followed by Nawalparasi East at 87 and Dhading at 33.
Among the missing foreign nationals, 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 35 Australians, 33 Britons, and 25 Canadians have been listed. Nationals from Singapore, Russia, Germany, Latvia, South Africa, Japan, New Zealand, France, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Ireland, Italy, and several other countries are also reported missing.
Global Response: US, China Also Tracking Their Nationals
The US State Department said it was monitoring the situation closely, with approximately 90 Americans potentially affected. 'We can confirm that three American citizens have been safely rescued in Nepal. We are not aware of any US citizen deaths at this time,' the department said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing on Thursday that nearly 100 Chinese nationals remain missing on the Nepalese side following Wednesday's mudslide.
Search and Rescue Ongoing
Authorities continue search and rescue operations across multiple flood-hit districts. The Bhote Koshi floods have caused extensive damage to settlements, roads, bridges, hydropower projects, and other critical infrastructure along the river and its downstream systems. The scale of destruction has complicated relief efforts, with access to several affected areas reportedly hampered by damaged roads and ongoing hazards.
Point of View
Disaster-prone corridors. With 644 people missing across dozens of nationalities, this is also a test of Nepal's disaster-response capacity — and the transboundary trigger involving a China-side avalanche adds a diplomatic dimension that will require careful handling. The scale of infrastructure damage, including to hydropower projects, suggests economic consequences that will outlast the immediate humanitarian crisis.
NationPress
27 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Indians are missing after the Nepal floods?
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on 27 August that 290 Indian nationals are out of contact following the floods along the Bhote Koshi river in Nepal. Among them are 63 workers at the Trishuli-I hydropower project in Rasuwa district and 21 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
What caused the Nepal floods along the Bhote Koshi river?
The floods were reportedly triggered by an avalanche on a transboundary river between Nepal and China, upstream of the Bhote Koshi. The resulting surge caused widespread destruction across multiple districts in Nepal, damaging settlements, roads, bridges, and hydropower infrastructure.
How many people are missing in Nepal after the floods?
Nepal Police reported a total of 644 people missing by late Thursday, including 517 foreign nationals and 127 Nepali citizens. The bodies of 389 people have been recovered, with the highest count in Chitwan at 137.
Which districts in Nepal were worst hit by the floods?
Rasuwa and Nuwakot are among the hardest-hit districts. In terms of fatalities recovered, Chitwan recorded the highest toll at 137, followed by Nawalparasi East at 87 and Dhading at 33.
Are nationals from other countries also missing in Nepal?
Yes. Besides the 290 Indians, missing foreign nationals include approximately 100 Chinese, 90 Americans (of whom 3 have been rescued), 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 35 Australians, 33 Britons, and 25 Canadians, along with nationals from over a dozen other countries.
