70 Americans unaccounted for after Nepal disaster

Around 70 US citizens remain unaccounted for in the Nepal-China border region following a devastating disaster that destroyed roads, bridges and entire villages, the US State Department said.

The department said 18 Americans had so far reached safety, according to figures released as of noon EDT on Thursday.

“The safety of Americans in the affected area remains our highest priority,” a state department spokesperson said, adding that US authorities were using “every available means” to locate, account for and assist American citizens and their families.

The disaster has severely disrupted access to affected areas, leaving rescue teams facing extraordinarily difficult conditions. Roads and bridges have been destroyed, entire villages have been devastated and, in some areas, the landscape itself has been dramatically altered.

“Some previously inhabited places are covered by displaced soil and rocks several feet deep,” the spokesperson said.

The destruction has also complicated helicopter search-and-rescue operations. Pilots are being forced to navigate narrow mountain valleys where roads, riverbanks and other familiar landmarks have disappeared.

The high-altitude environment has added another layer of danger. Thin air has made some helicopter missions extremely hazardous and, in certain locations, impossible, according to the state department.

Despite the challenges, US officials said they continue to work with authorities and partners on the ground to locate missing Americans and provide assistance to those affected.

The state department's team in Kathmandu has met with all families who travelled to Nepal in connection with the crisis, while consular officials in Washington are maintaining regular contact with relatives in the United States.

The United States said it offered assistance with search-and-rescue operations on the first day of the emergency. According to the State Department, however, Nepal's government initially declined the offer, determining that its own agencies had sufficient capacity to conduct the rescue effort.

“The United States offered to support search-and-rescue operations on day one; however, the Nepali government declined our initial offer and determined that its own government could handle search-and-rescue operations,” the spokesperson said.

The department said that Nepal later allowed several foreign teams to enter the country to provide specialised assistance, particularly in the rescue of people trapped in hydropower tunnels.

“Eventually, under international pressure, it let several foreign teams in to assist with specialised rescue in hydropower tunnels,” the spokesperson said.

The crisis extends far beyond the American citizens still unaccounted for. The state department said around 5,100 people remained missing in the wider disaster.

US officials stressed that the situation remains fluid and that rescue and recovery operations are being adjusted as conditions on the ground evolve.

“This is a rapidly evolving operation, and we are working closely with our local partners on the ground to adapt to conditions as they change,” the spokesperson said.

For US authorities, the immediate priority remains accounting for the missing Americans, establishing contact with their families and providing assistance wherever access and security conditions permit.

With IANS inputs