Second Israeli Woman Missing After Nepal Floods

A second Israeli national, Katrina Sakowitz, 41, is reported missing in Nepal following devastating floods that struck the border with Tibet on Wednesday. Sakowitz, who held both Israeli and Belarusian citizenship, was in Nepal as a tourist and had been living in Milan for several years. According to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, her failure to register as an Israeli national in Nepal may explain why Israeli authorities were not initially aware of her presence. The Israeli consulate in Kathmandu and the Foreign Ministry's Situation Center are coordinating with local authorities and Sakowitz's family in the search effort. A first Israeli national was reported missing on Thursday, prompting the ZAKA rescue organization to launch an investigation into their whereabouts.

The floods, believed to have been caused by a glacial lake outburst, unleashed a torrent of ice, rocks, mud, and debris. Initial reports indicate that approximately 800 people have died, with over 3,000 still unaccounted for. Nepal's disaster management authority specifically reported 933 missing individuals near hydroelectric sites in the affected region, and the Red Cross estimates that over 90,000 people may have been impacted. Hundreds of unidentified bodies have been buried in shallow graves due to rapid decomposition in the humid conditions.

In the Tibetan region bordering Nepal, 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries are also reported missing. China has deployed over 2,100 rescuers and allocated at least $33 million for relief operations. However, search efforts have been hampered by adverse weather and the risk of further flooding. A glacial lake formed by the disaster on the Nepal-China border has begun to overflow into Nepalese waterways. The Israeli Foreign Ministry advises its citizens to avoid the disaster zone.