Another Israeli Missing in Nepal After Devastating Flood

Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed Monday that another Israeli citizen is missing in Nepal, six days after a catastrophic flash flood and landslide devastated the region. The initial report of an Israeli losing contact came last week, on the day of the disaster. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing for the estimated 5,000 people missing, including over 900 power station workers and 517 foreign nationals. The disaster was triggered by the collapse of an ice avalanche from an estimated height of 5,200 meters, creating a massive debris flow that destroyed entire villages along the Nepal-Tibet border.

Rescue workers described the extreme difficulty of their task, with one stating, "It's all sinking mud here. This is the first time I've seen anything like this. We've dealt with floods in Nepal before, but not like this." Authorities are awaiting the complete draining of two main lakes formed by the floodwaters, with assessments relying heavily on satellite imagery. Residents reported that all villages near the river were swept away, leaving nothing behind.

A woman searching for her son, who works at a local hydroelectric power station, expressed despair, stating she couldn't find his name and authorities were providing no information. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported on Friday that over 93,000 people were directly affected by the Himalayan disaster, which is still ongoing. David Fisher, head of the federation in Nepal, noted that aid trucks were stranded due to a lake overflowing from the landslide, temporarily halting rescue operations.