At least six South Africans are missing in Nepal’s flash floods, the country’s tourism board confirmed – the death toll has now climbed past 165.
According to authorities, 270 bodies have been recovered with hundreds still missing.
The South African Police Service has also authorised four K9 handlers and their search-and-rescue dogs to join the team if they are deployed.
For now, however, the South African rescuers remain on standby. Neither Nepal nor Tibet has formally requested international assistance, meaning the team cannot yet travel.
What happened in Nepal?
Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told the Parliament on Wednesday that an earthquake struck at 8.37 a.m. local time, and the flash flood was reported three minutes later.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck the Tibetan territory at that time, it added. It was a plausible theory, given the region’s vulnerability to tectonic shifts.
Nepal police reported at least 165 people dead and 826 missing.
Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman said the daughter of a missing South African couple had asked the organisation for help, and that a tour operator confirmed a second South African couple was also unaccounted for.
“Helicopter surveillance is the only means of access as all roads have been destroyed. Landing is not possible as there is no solid ground given the height of the water level,” he said.
The organisation had 11 urban search-and-rescue specialists, four SAPS dog handlers and four dogs on standby.
Its head of search and rescue, Ahmed Bham, was in contact with Nepalese disaster management officials.
“We are in touch with Nepalese authorities. The embassy is prepared to process visas immediately, but we await a formal call for international assistance,” Sooliman said.
