Kolkata, August 27: Rescue operations have been intensified in Nepal following devastating flash floods along the Tibet-Nepal border, with 239 people evacuated by helicopter so far, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Nepal in Kolkata, Deepesh Lekhak, said on Thursday.

Lekhak said all agencies of the Nepal government, including the Army, Police and armed forces, are working in coordination with administrative authorities and international organisations to rescue people stranded in the flood-hit areas.

“Significant damage occurred due to the flash floods along the Tibet-Nepal border. All agencies of the Nepal government—including the Army, Police and armed forces, as well as INGOs and the administrative machinery—are working on this and have prioritised rescue operations,” Lekhak said.

“Helicopter-based rescue efforts are currently underway. So far, 239 people have been rescued by helicopter, and the operation is ongoing,” he added.

The Nepal Tourism Board has also released preliminary information on tourists reported missing in the affected areas. According to the board, trekking and travel companies have reported 644 travellers missing, including 127 Nepali nationals. The figures are being verified in coordination with travel agencies, trekking guides, local authorities and security agencies.

Officials are also assessing information received from Chinese immigration points along the Tibet border, as several people, including tourists from West Bengal and Kolkata, were present in the region when the floods struck.

Foreign nationals are also among those reported missing. Preliminary figures indicate that 53 Ukrainian citizens, 35 Australians and 25 Canadians are among those unaccounted for.

According to sources at the Nepal Embassy, 175 bodies have so far been recovered, while a large number of locals and tourists remain missing. The latest available information indicates that 476 people from 28 countries have been reported missing. Officials stressed that the figures remain subject to verification as search and rescue operations continue.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a review meeting on Thursday with officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian ambassadors in Kathmandu and Beijing to assess the situation arising from the Nepal floods.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said urgent efforts were underway to ascertain the safety and well-being of Indians in the affected areas. He said the Ministry of External Affairs was coordinating with various ministries, state governments, tour operators and project authorities, while working closely with the Nepalese authorities on relief and rescue efforts.

In India, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said no adverse flood impact had so far been reported in Indian border areas following the flash floods in Nepal.

NDRF Inspector General Narendra Singh Bundela said agencies were closely monitoring water discharge levels in vulnerable districts, including Kushinagar and West Champaran. He said state governments and the Central Water Commission were maintaining continuous vigilance and that field-level sensitisation measures had been completed.

The floods have damaged dozens of bridges and roads in Nepal, prompting security forces to step up rescue and relief operations with helicopters and ground teams. Medical assistance, temporary shelters, food, drinking water and medicines are being provided to people affected by the disaster.

The Embassy of India in Nepal has also established helpline numbers for Indians seeking assistance. The numbers—+977 985 131 6807, +977 970 910 7500 and +977 981 032 6117—are also available on WhatsApp.