Kathmandu, Nepal: The devastating flash floods that struck Nepal near the Tibet border have left hundreds of people missing, including nearly 300 Indian nationals, according to Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal.

Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has reported 826 people missing following the floods. The missing include security personnel, local residents and tourists. Nepal Tourism Board data separately indicates that hundreds of tourists, including foreign nationals, remain unaccounted for.

Khanal said the full scale of the disaster was still being assessed and that thousands of families had been affected by the floods. He said nearly 300 Indian nationals, many of them associated with the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route, were among those reported missing.

The floods struck several areas of Nepal after an ice and glacial avalanche blocked the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi River. The resulting surge of water and debris swept through parts of Rasuwa and other affected districts, damaging homes, roads, bridges and infrastructure

The disaster has also affected the Tibet side of the border. Chinese authorities have reported hundreds of people missing in the Gyirong area, including foreign nationals. The overall number of people unaccounted for across Nepal and Tibet has therefore risen substantially.

Sadhguru seeks access to flood-hit Tibet

The tragedy has also affected a Kailash pilgrimage group associated with the Isha Foundation. Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said around 80 people from the group were unaccounted for after the flash flood struck the Gyirong area in Tibet.

Sadhguru appealed to Chinese authorities to allow him and a small team of volunteers to travel to the affected area and assist with the search and rescue effort. Communication links and road access in the region have been severely disrupted, making it difficult to establish the whereabouts of those missing.

India extends assistance to Nepal

India has also stepped up its response to the disaster. Indian authorities have been coordinating with Nepalese officials regarding the rescue and assistance of Indian nationals affected by the floods.

Relief and humanitarian assistance has been dispatched to Nepal as rescue operations continue. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has also been working with Nepalese authorities to trace missing Indian nationals and assist affected families.

Rescue teams continue to search affected areas as authorities assess the extent of the destruction and work to locate those still missing.