As massive floods hit Nepal, it has been found that a significant number of the missing people are foreigners.

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

According to AFP News on the 27th, local time, the Nepalese Ministry of Tourism stated that 468 tourists remain missing due to floods and landslides that occurred the previous day in Bagmati Province, central-northern Nepal.

Among the missing, 393 are foreigners.

In an earlier tally, the Nepalese Ministry of Tourism stated that at least 133 of the missing individuals were 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.

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

Synthesizing national announcements disclosing the status of missing persons, CNN reported that alongside Indian, American, and Australian nationals, 9 South Koreans as well as citizens of Italy, Portugal, Ukraine, Russia, and Belgium are also missing in this flood.

Nepal is currently in the monsoon season, making it a somewhat unfavorable period for climbing.

However, the Kailash trek following the route in the Rasuwa region is in peak season, AP News reported.

The WSJ also explained that "catastrophic floods in the high Himalayas swept away villages popular with Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims."

Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims gather in small villages such as Syabrubesi and Timure, located at the confluence of the Trishuli and Rende rivers flowing through this area.

Syabrubesi and Timure are among the areas hardest hit by this flood.

These villages are also crucial gateways heading toward the Langtang Valley, a world-famous trekking area in Nepal, and the Tamang Heritage Trail located west of the Langtang Valley.

U.S. broadcaster CNN also reported that hundreds of pilgrims gather around Mount Kailash, revered in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, during the summer season, noting that the flood struck routes heavily used by pilgrims and tourists.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)