Some foreign tourists who were reported missing after devastating floods in Nepal have contacted authorities, officials said Wednesday, as rescue and search operations continued.
At least 1,118 people have died and more than 3,900 remain missing following the disaster, which began on Aug. 26.
Nepal's Foreign Ministry said 324 foreign nationals had been rescued so far, while around 590 people from 39 countries were still reported missing a week after the floods.
Some tourists confirmed safe
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday that the number of Australians reported missing had fallen from 43 to 38 after five people were confirmed safe overnight.
“Amidst all of this tragedy, we are seeing some positive news. Today, another five Australians have been confirmed safe,” Albanese told reporters in Palau, where he was attending a regional summit.
“We hope, of course, for positive news further, and we're doing everything we can to work with authorities,” he said.
Sunil Sharma, a spokesperson for the Nepal Tourism Board, said at least five other foreign tourists who had earlier been reported missing contacted authorities by phone or email in recent days.
China builds road to disaster site
Meanwhile, Chinese rescue teams have built a temporary road to reach the disaster-hit area around Gyirong Port on the Nepal-China border, China's state broadcaster CCTV reported Wednesday.
The access road will allow heavy machinery to reach the area and assist search operations. The border crossing complex was swept away by the floods, while roads leading to it were destroyed and buried under water, mud and rocks.
China separately reported 16 deaths and 546 people missing as of Sunday.
The disaster began on Aug. 26 after a glacial collapse in the Himalayas sent huge amounts of rock, ice and meltwater into nearby valleys.
The resulting floods caused rivers in Tibet and Nepal to rise rapidly, sweeping away homes, buildings, roads and bridges. Mud and rocks were also carried downstream, causing widespread destruction.
Search and rescue teams are continuing their efforts to locate those still missing and provide assistance to survivors.