Second Israeli Missing After Deadly Nepal Floods

Six days after devastating floods struck Nepal, Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Sunday that a second Israeli citizen is missing. The missing individual has been identified as Katerina (Katya) Skovitz, a 41-year-old dual Israeli-Belarusian citizen who has been out of contact since the disaster. This brings the total number of Israelis unaccounted for to two.

Israel's consulate in Kathmandu and the ministry's desk for Israelis in distress abroad are in constant contact with Skovitz's family and are coordinating with local authorities to locate her. The other missing Israeli was part of a group of 77 foreign travelers returning from a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, reaching the immigration center in Gyirong on the Tibetan side of the border. Contact with this group was lost about ten minutes after their liaison spoke with the group leader, with no prior warning of the impending flood.

Meanwhile, the scale of the disaster continues to unfold. Nepalese authorities reported on Sunday that the death toll has risen to 903, with the number of missing persons surging to 4,247. The floods severely impacted a remote mountainous region, a key route for trekkers and pilgrims between Nepal and Tibet, causing extensive damage to roads, bridges, and infrastructure.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, involving thousands of military and police personnel. Helicopters are being utilized in the inaccessible mountainous areas to locate and rescue victims and deliver essential supplies.