300 foreigners still missing in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand missing people cell in charge Ajay Pradyog said on Saturday that the department has updated a list of about 300 foreign nationals who were reported missing from Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Uttarkashi districts after they were hit by calamity on June 16 and June 17.

Pradyog said the missing foreign nationals, including tourists and pilgrims, are among 5,100 people reported missing. The death toll after the catastrophe continues to remain at 580. About 100 missing foreigners are from Nepal, while the exact break-up of missing people from other nations, including the US and the UAE, is not yet known, he said.

"We have been receiving telephone calls from different sources about a number of missing foreign nationals from these countries but they have not yet been confirmed," Pradyog said.

A senior IAS officer in Uttarakhand said there is a lot of confusion about the exact number of foreigners missing, so the state has asked all foreign governments involved to send a list of the exact number of missing people. "Once we receive the lists of missing nationals from these nations, their exact number will be figured out," he said.

About 100 missing foreigners are from Nepal, while the exact break-up of those from other nations, including the US and the UAE, is not yet known.