Nepal urges tourists not to leave Himalayas after floods

(Bloomberg) — Nepal urged international travelers not to leave the Himalayas and declared the country open for tourism as it continues to assess the human and economic toll of catastrophic floods that have left hundreds dead and thousands missing.

“Our mountain trails, trekking routes are still waiting for you,” Tourism Minister Khadak Raj Paudel said in a video message on Facebook using the hashtag #NepalCalling. “Your coming to Nepal this time is not just a holiday. It is a great support for the country that is struggling with this catastrophic flash flood tragedy.”

The plea comes as harrowing images of destroyed villages, roads and bridges – and reports of deaths from last week’s floods – threaten to deter tourists even from parts of Nepal largely untouched by the disaster.

Nepal, one of Asia’s poorest economies, faces daunting reconstruction efforts as higher fuel costs from the Iran war, weaker tourism and slowing growth weigh on the economy. The disaster compounded the problems facing 36-year-old Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who came to power this year on a wave of Gen Z discontent.

The disaster was set off last week by a glacial collapse that sent ice, mud, rocks and water soaring through a valley in Nepal, destroying entire settlements in its path. Videos showed people running for their lives as walls of water and debris engulfed buildings, downed bridges and power lines, and washed away trees, boulders and vehicles.

According to data from Nepal’s Foreign Ministry, about 590 foreigners from 39 countries are still missing.

The death toll in Nepal rose to at least 1,010 on Tuesday afternoon, with rescue operations continuing. Specialist teams from Nepal, India, China and South Korea are helping affected hydropower projects where hundreds of workers remain trapped in tunnels.

Nepal’s Interior Minister Sudan Gurung said rescuers had reached the crown, or top, of one tunnel and were trying to dig out the power plant from above to gain access, adding that authorities had “not given up hope” of finding survivors.

The disaster damaged infrastructure, including at least 12 hydroelectric plants in Nepal’s Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts, according to the Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal.

“The scope and scale of the damage caused by this disaster is becoming clearer as access has improved and more details are now available,” Nepal’s foreign ministry said in a separate statement. “Given the extent of the destruction, Nepal expects to require significant international support during the recovery and reconstruction phase.”

“It has been an extremely painful and difficult time for Nepal.

At least 11,993 people have been rescued so far in Nepal, with rescue teams relying on helicopters and other aircraft to reach communities cut off after floods and landslides destroyed roads and bridges.

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