KATHMANDU – Fifty-five Malaysians remain unaccounted for following devastating flash floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, with damaged roads and communication networks hampering efforts to establish contact with those affected.
The flooding was triggered by the overflowing Bhote Koshi River and an avalanche upstream, according to information available on Thursday, 27 August 2026 (10:44 PM).
The disaster caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure in the affected area, disrupting road access and communications and making it difficult for authorities and families to determine the whereabouts of Malaysian nationals.
Among those reported unaccounted for are two senior officers from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, known as Bomba.
A separate group of 17 Malaysians was travelling towards Mount Kailash as part of a pilgrimage organised through Fishtail Tours & Travels. Other missing Malaysians are understood to be independent tourists.
Most of the Malaysians were last tracked in areas close to the Nepal-Tibet border, where the flooding and resulting infrastructure damage have complicated movement and communications.
The two Bomba officers were reportedly about 18 kilometres from the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border crossing when they were last accounted for.
The 17-member pilgrimage group was reportedly near an immigration checkpoint in the same wider border region.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or Wisma Putra, is coordinating with the Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu and Nepalese authorities over efforts to locate the missing Malaysians.
Search-and-rescue teams are also involved in efforts to establish the status of those who remain uncontactable.
There has been no official confirmation of fatalities among the 55 Malaysians reported missing as of Thursday.
However, rescue operations have faced significant challenges because of poor weather conditions and damage to roads and other infrastructure caused by the floods.
The disruption to communication networks has added to the difficulty of obtaining timely information from remote areas affected by the disaster.
The situation has prompted concern among families in Malaysia, particularly those awaiting confirmation of the safety and whereabouts of relatives who were travelling in the affected region.
The scale of the disaster extends beyond the Malaysian nationals involved. Reports indicate that hundreds of people remain missing across areas affected by the flooding, including parts of Nepal and Tibet.
More than 160 deaths have been reported in connection with the disaster, while more than 1,000 people remain unaccounted for across the wider affected region.
The combination of severe flooding, an upstream avalanche and damaged infrastructure has created difficult conditions for rescue and recovery teams operating in the area.
For Malaysian authorities, the immediate priority remains obtaining reliable information on the 55 nationals who have yet to be contacted and supporting ongoing search and rescue efforts.
Wisma Putra and the Malaysian diplomatic mission in Kathmandu are expected to continue working with local authorities and other relevant parties as access to affected areas improves.
The Foreign Ministry has also previously stressed the importance of providing families with updated information concerning Malaysians whose safety and whereabouts remain unconfirmed.
The status of the 55 Malaysians remains unconfirmed as rescue operations continue, and further information is expected as authorities are able to reach affected areas and restore communications.
