About 70 Americans Unaccounted for After Nepal Disaster
Washington — About 70 Americans remain unaccounted for in the Nepal-China border region after a disaster destroyed roads, bridges and entire villages, according to the U.S. State Department.
Eighteen Americans had reached safety as of noon Thursday, the department said.
“The safety of Americans in the affected area remains our highest priority,” a State Department spokesperson said. “Despite the significant operational challenges, we are using every available means to locate, account for and assist U.S. citizens and their families.”
The department’s team in Kathmandu has met with all families who traveled to Nepal, while consular officers in Washington have remained in regular contact with families in the United States.
“The conditions responders are operating in within Nepal are extraordinarily difficult,” the spokesperson said. “This disaster destroyed roads, bridges, entire villages, and, in some areas, completely altered the landscape – some previously inhabited places are covered by displaced soil and rocks several feet deep.”
Helicopter operations have also been hampered by the destruction, with pilots flying through narrow valleys where roads, riverbanks and other familiar landmarks have disappeared.
The thin air at high altitude has made some missions extremely dangerous or impossible, according to the spokesperson.
The United States offered to support search-and-rescue operations on the first day of the emergency, but Nepal’s government initially declined the offer after determining that its own agencies could handle the response.
“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.
“Eventually, under international pressure, it let several foreign teams in to assist with specialised rescue in hydropower tunnels.”
About 5,100 people remained reported missing across the wider disaster area, according to the department.
“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. (Source: IANS)
