Britons among more than 500 tourists still missing after Nepal flood

More than 500 tourists, including 33 Britons, are still said to be missing after the flash flood in Nepal.

In its latest update, the Nepal Tourism Board said 583 foreign nationals remain “out of communication”, as the total death toll climbed above 900.

Nepalese authorities said among those unaccounted for are more than 30 British nationals, while Chinese state media on Sunday said 15 people from Britain were among 261 missing foreigners. It is unclear how many are included in the Nepal figures.

No Britons were among the 315 foreign nationals reported rescued as of Monday.

Nepal’s disaster agency said that 903 deaths had been counted there, with more than 4,000 people missing in total.

In an Instagram post, the Nepal Tourism Board advised travellers to check the latest road and weather conditions.

On Saturday, a rapid deployment team from the UK arrived in Nepal to provide support for Britons and their families.

The team, comprising specially trained crisis response staff, will work alongside the British embassy and local authorities.

They will help co-ordinate assistance for British nationals arriving at and departing from the airport, support those seeking information about missing relatives, liaise with local authorities and emergency responders, and reinforce existing consular operations on the ground.

Forming part of the UK’s wider response to the flooding, which includes £5 million of humanitarian support for relief and recovery efforts, the team will also work with families in the UK concerned about loved ones in the affected area.

Two teenagers, a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, are among the 33 British nationals believed to be unaccounted for.

Others with links to the UK who are missing include an NHS nurse, a Hindu priest from south London who was leading a tour in the region and an 18-year-old from Surrey who had recently finished his A-levels.

Rescue efforts had previously been hampered by fears of more flooding from a lake formed by the glacier collapse which sparked the flooding on Wednesday.

The UK’s £5 million support package will support Nepal’s response efforts, including a combination of UN, Red Cross and NGO interventions.

Geetha Reddy is among those missing and her husband, who is from London, told the BBC he has not heard from his wife since the flooding hit.

She has two daughters aged 12 and 14.

He said: “We’re not sure what to do. I have two little girls, and their schools are starting next week.”

“The kids still don’t believe it. They think she’s stuck in the flood and that she’ll come back. They think she’s stuck somewhere and there’s no mobile network.”

A number of those missing had been making a pilgrimage to the sacred Hindu site of Mount Kailash, Nepalese tour operator The Trekkers’ Society said.

The operator said nine British nationals on one of its tours to the site were among those unaccounted for: four males, aged 14, 50, 50 and 54, and five women, aged 40, 46, 50, 50 and 53.

Travel logs obtained by the Press Association show three men aged 65, 64 and 52, and seven women aged 44, 47, 51, 60, 63, 63 and 65, are also among the missing British nationals.

Tour operator Kailash Journeys said it had not been able to account for seven UK nationals who had been travelling with the company – five women and two men aged between 18 and 55.

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said: “British nationals in Nepal should follow local authority advice and exercise caution while travelling.

“For consular assistance call (+44) (0)207 008 5000 or (+977) (0)14237100.”