Overview
- Severe flash floods on the Nepal–China border have killed large numbers of people and left figures still provisional, with reports from Nepali and Chinese authorities putting the missing in the hundreds to thousands and some sources reporting death tolls above 500.
- The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has deployed a Rapid Deployment Team that arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday to reinforce the British Embassy’s consular work and help families seeking information about missing relatives.
- The RDT will coordinate assistance at the airport, liaise with local officials and emergency responders, and provide short‑notice consular support for British nationals arriving, departing or needing help on the ground.
- More than 30 British nationals are reported unaccounted for, travel logs and tour operators have been used to identify specific groups, and families in the UK continue to make urgent appeals for information.
- The UK has pledged £5 million for humanitarian relief to be channelled through the UN, Red Cross and NGOs, while damaged roads, destroyed bridges and thick mud are hampering search, rescue and aid delivery and will determine how quickly help reaches affected communities.