The State Department said Tuesday it is aware of approximately 70 Americans who remain unaccounted for in the Nepal-China border region following last month’s catastrophic flooding, while 18 Americans have now made it to safety.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to all those affected by the flooding in Nepal, and their families, and we reaffirm our enduring friendship with the Nepali people,” a State Department official told Fox News.
“The Department of State remains in close contact with the families of Americans who remain unaccounted for and is committed to providing regular updates as more information becomes available.”
ROUGHLY 80 AMERICANS STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR AFTER HIMALAYAN DISASTER KILLS 903, OFFICIALS SAY
Officials also urged Americans not to travel to the disaster zone, warning the region remains at risk for additional flash floods and landslides.
The latest update reduced the number of Americans unaccounted for from 75 to 70, while the number confirmed safe rose from 16 to 18.
Officials have not confirmed any American deaths.
As search efforts continue, Nepalese authorities said rescuers are concentrating on three hydropower project tunnels where they believe dozens of workers may still be trapped beneath debris left by the Aug. 26 glacier collapse that triggered devastating flooding along the Nepal-China border, according to Reuters.
“Our search operation is focused on finding survivors, including in tunnels. Our bigger focus is on the Chilime hydroelectric project, where we believe people are trapped, because there was a canteen, residency and arrangements for food,” Dharma Raj Upreti, chief of Nepal’s disaster authority, told Reuters.
DEATH TOLL FROM MUDSLIDES, FLOODING AT NEPAL-CHINA BORDER CLIMBS PAST 670; NEARLY 3,000 MISSING
The disaster has killed at least 1,399 people across Nepal and China’s Tibet region, with more than 5,400 others still missing, according to authorities.
Both governments have blamed climate change for the glacier collapse that unleashed the flooding.
Reuters contributed to this report.
