"400 Missing Tourists" in Worst Disaster... The 'Decisive' Reason Foreigners Bore the Brunt

Amid massive floods in Nepal, it has been found that a significant number of the missing are foreign nationals.

The regional characteristics—specifically that the affected area is close to a sacred site visited by Hindu pilgrims and is a popular tourist destination crowded with hikers from around the world—appear to have compounded the casualties among foreigners.

According to the Nepalese Ministry of Tourism, as of yesterday (the 26th), 468 tourists are missing due to floods and landslides in the central-northern Bagmati Province.

Among the missing, 393 are foreign nationals.

The Nepalese Ministry of Tourism stated in an earlier tally that at least 133 of the missing are Indian nationals who were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred Hindu site.

In addition, dozens of Americans, Australians, British, and Canadians are also among the missing.

Synthesizing announcements by country on the status of the missing, CNN reported that alongside Indian, American, and Australian nationals, citizens of Western countries such as Italy and Portugal, as well as 9 South Koreans, are also missing due to the floods.

The Nepalese Ministry of Tourism stated that at least 62 Nepalese nationals were also missing while trekking near a lake in the Rasuwa region of Bagmati Province, coinciding with Janai Purnima, a traditional Nepalese festival coming up on the 28th.

The Wall Street Journal explained that "devastating floods in the high Himalayas swept through a village popular with Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims."

Every year around this time, hundreds of pilgrims gather around Mount Kailash, which is revered in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and the floods struck routes heavily used by pilgrims and tourists, compounding the damage.

Nepal is currently in its monsoon season, making it unsuitable for climbing, but the "Kailash Trek" following the route in the Rasuwa region is known to be during peak season.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Yu-jin | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.