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Ottawa Sends Officials to Nepal as Search for Missing Canadians Continues: Anand
The federal government says its officials, including an RCMP member, are helping locate missing Canadians and support families after deadly flooding.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced Monday that 10 officials including an RCMP member are in Nepal supporting Canadians affected by flooding, with 31 Canadians whose whereabouts remain unconfirmed.
On Aug. 26, a glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border triggered devastating flash floods, sending an ice-and-rock avalanche into the Lhende River that burst catastrophically into the Bhote Koshi River.
Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported 734 bodies recovered with approximately 2,498 people unaccounted for, while 289 foreign nationals have been rescued with 591 still missing as of Aug. 30.
Anand confirmed Saturday that one Canadian previously unaccounted for has been located safely, as Canada provides $5 million in humanitarian assistance to support emergency relief efforts in Nepal.
Rescue operations shifted into search and retrieval on Aug. 29 as telecommunications are restored in affected areas, while Chinese authorities have categorized secondary flooding risk as controllable, Anand said.