TWO IRISH CITIZENS who are missing in Nepal following the devastating flash floods that hit the country earlier this week have been named by the country’s department of tourism. 

Santosh Sahu and Spandan Sahu were named on a list of 537 tourists who remain unaccounted for, which was published overnight. They are the only tourists listed as Irish. According to the list, Santosh is aged 46 and Spandan is aged 18. 

Last night, Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs said it continues to “closely monitor the situation” and “together with partners, is working to account for two Irish citizens visiting the area”.

It said it would not comment on the detail of individual cases.

Santosh and Spandan Sahu were part of a group of people travelling in the Rasuwa region with Alpine Eco Trek, which offers guided tours and expeditions in Nepal.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has confirmed that the men were among 17 people were taking part in a pilgrimage to Gosainkunda, an alpine lake situated at 4,380m above sea level in the Rasuwa district.

The lake is considered sacred by Hindus and Buddhists and is a major pilgrimage destination where devotees traditionally bathe in its waters, particularly during the annual Janai Purnima festival.

“ISKCON Nepal has reported losing contact with 17 devotees from the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Ireland who were participating in a pilgrimage to Gosainkunda,” it said.

“It has appealed to the relevant authorities to help locate the pilgrims and confirm their safety.”

Rescue suspended 

Nepali police have urged all rescuers to “immediately move to a safe location”, saying it had received information that “a water dam has burst again on the Tibetan side”.

Separately in Tibet, China had earlier Friday paused its rescue operation at the hardest-hit area of Gyirong over the risk of renewed flooding.

State broadcaster CCTV reported that a lake formed by immense piles of debris has begun overflowing towards the area that rescue teams were headed.

“So all rescue teams have been ordered to stand by in place and wait for further instructions,” it said, adding that emergency teams which had earlier accessed the area “have been ordered to withdraw one kilometre”.

Kathmandu’s Flood Forecasting Division had separately issued a “special notice” warning of a growing lake behind debris left by the landslide.

More than 1,400 people are missing in Nepal two days after the deadly floods, with rescuers racing to find survivors as the threat of new flooding grows. 

Emergency teams have recovered 472 bodies after a tsunami-like wall of freezing water and mud crashed down on Wednesday, burying homes, smashing bridges and sweeping away vehicles in both Nepal and Tibet.

A woman climbs on top of her home to retrieve goods following flash floods at Devighat in Bidur Municipality, Nuwakot district, Nepal. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The US Geological Survey said the disaster – the deadliest for Nepal since a 2015 earthquake – was caused by a glacial collapse that triggered a vast flow of icy debris.

Climate change is causing glaciers to melt worldwide, increasing the risks of glacial lake floods and glacial collapses.

The Nepali military was seeking to reach people trapped in the tunnel of Trishuli 3A hydropower project, army spokesman Raja Ram Basnet told AFP.

“Two helicopters have been dispatched but it is challenging because it is tough to even locate the entry points of the tunnel,” he said.

Some 350 workers and residents have been brought to safety from the tunnel, he added, but efforts were ongoing to extract more than 100 people trapped in the same area.

The emergency workers were labouring under threat of new floods as water trapped by the immense piles of debris blocking the valley risks surging out.

‘Washed away’

Survivors in a makeshift Nepali hospital endured an agonising wait for news of their missing loved ones.

Residents look at the devastation left by flash flooding in Nepal's Nuwakot district. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Kula Priya, whose eldest son is missing, said she had lost everything when the deluge hit.

“I don’t care for wealth. I just want my son back. If any of you could rescue my son, please do it for me,” she said.

“I don’t know where to go. We had three houses, all of which were washed away by the floods.”

Nepali police have reported a death toll of 469 people.

In India, authorities said they had recovered seven bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal, believed to be flood victims.

There are 910 people, including 517 foreign tourists, who are out of contact in Nepal. Indians make up the largest number of missing foreigners, while the United States said 90 of its citizens were out of contact.

Across the border in Tibet – where the only sources of information are Chinese authorities – officials say hundreds are missing and three died.

Authorities also said they had evacuated 555 stranded tourists and 499 Chinese residents from Tibet.

Scores of Hindu devotees from across the world are among those missing on the border, as many were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash on the Chinese side.

Logadarrsiny Raman, 26, from Malaysia, said she lost contact with her parents, aunt and uncle, who were on a pilgrimage.

Raman said the travel agency told her the last contact with the group of 17 Malaysians was on Wednesday morning, when they were travelling towards the Nepal-China border.

The flood crashed into the area where they were last contacted soon after.

“I’m very anxious,” she told AFP. “My only hope is to hear back from them that they are safe.”