Ottawa sends 10 officials to Nepal as death toll passes 1,000, 30 Canadians remain missing

CALGARY — The death toll from the catastrophic floods along the Nepal-China border has now surpassed 1,000, as rescue crews continue searching for survivors and Ottawa has sent a team of 10 federal officials to Nepal to help locate missing Canadians.The disaster, triggered by a massive glacier collapse on August 26, sent torrents of water, ice, rock and mud through communities along the Himalayan border, destroying homes, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure.Nepal's latest figures put the death toll at more than 1,000, while nearly 4,000 people remain missing. As well, 639 people are still reportedly trapped in hydropower facilities, according to the latest rescue update.At least 30 Canadians are also reported to be among those missing following the disaster..The Canadian government has now deployed 10 officials to Nepal to assist Canadians affected by the disaster and help determine the whereabouts of those still unaccounted for.Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said the team includes an RCMP member and is working to locate missing Canadians and support their families."Our priority is to locate Canadians and permanent residents and confirm their safety while offering support wherever and whenever possible," Anand said.Canadian officials are working with trekking companies, hospitals, local police, rescue centres, airlines and Canadian travel-industry partners to gather information and establish contact with Canadians in the affected areas.The RCMP has also deployed a liaison officer to Nepal and has offered forensic equipment and expertise to assist with the response..The search has increasingly focused on workers believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels buried by mud and debris.Rescue teams from Nepal, India and China are taking part in the operation, with more than 9,200 personnel involved in the latest search effort.Nearly 300 workers have been rescued from the hydropower facilities, while crews continue trying to reach those still trapped underground.The tunnel rescues have proven particularly difficult because many of the entrances are blocked by thick layers of mud and debris. In some locations, rescuers have struggled to determine whether workers remain alive inside.Drones have also been used to search devastated areas and locate stranded survivors, but the technology has been of limited use inside the blocked tunnels because of the debris and complex tunnel layouts..As the search continues, GoFundMe's across Canada have also begun raising money to help people affected by the disaster.Among the Canadian-organized fundraisers is a campaign launched by NRNA Canada, with the organizer listed in Brampton, Ontario. The fundraiser says it is intended to support flood victims and directs donors toward Nepal's official disaster-relief efforts.Another campaign was launched by the Nepalese Society of Nova Scotia, which is raising money for families affected by the August 26 floods. The fundraiser says 100% of the money raised, after applicable GoFundMe transaction fees, will be transferred to Nepal's Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. It had raised more than $6,400 CAD toward its $11,000 goal as of publication.A separate fundraiser organized by NPCC-Canada in Toronto says donations will be used to provide food, clean water, medicine and temporary shelter to people affected by the flooding.Other campaigns out of Vancouver, North York, and Edmonton have also been launched to provide financial assistance to families and communities affected by the devastating floods..Global Affairs Canada said approximately 30 Canadians and permanent residents in Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region remain unaccounted for, with officials working to confirm their whereabouts and safety.The department said the figure may change as new information becomes available and officials establish contact with people in affected areas."Our priority is to locate Canadians and permanent residents who remain unaccounted for and confirm their safety," the department said.Canada has also committed $5 million in humanitarian assistance for emergency relief efforts in Nepal. The funding will support food, shelter, water, sanitation and health services through United Nations, Red Cross and Canadian NGO partners.As of Thursday, 858 Canadians were registered as being in Nepal and 18 were registered as being in China's Tibet Autonomous Region through the Registration of Canadians Abroad system.The department cautioned that the figures are only an estimate because registration is voluntary and may not fully represent the number of Canadians actually living in or visiting the region.The International Red Cross estimates that more than 90,000 people may have been affected by the disaster..Scientists believe the flooding was triggered by the collapse of a large section of glacier and surrounding rock high in the Himalayas.Satellite imagery showed a substantial portion of a glacier breaking away and plunging into the valley below, sending ice, rock and sediment into the river system.Authorities have warned of continued dangers from flooding and additional landslides, while rescue efforts remain complicated by damaged roads, high water levels and difficult mountainous terrain.The CCTV footage offers a stark indication of the speed and force of the flooding, but authorities have not confirmed the fate of every person visible in the footage.

Ottawa sends 10 officials to Nepal as death toll passes 1,000, 30 Canadians remain missing

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