What to know
- Ten Toronto residents are among 32 Canadians and permanent residents whose whereabouts remain unconfirmed after deadly flooding in Nepal.
- The group was taking part in a trip organized by the Isha Foundation when flash floods struck on Wednesday.
- More than 500 people have died, with thousands rescued as search-and-rescue efforts continue.
- Canada announced $5 million in humanitarian aid for Nepal on Friday.
Ten Toronto residents taking part in a trip organized by the Isha Foundation are among those still unaccounted for following deadly flash floods in Nepal, according to media reports.
According to CTV News, the group was taking part in an organized trip in Nepal when the flash flooding struck on Wednesday.
Media reports state that of the 12 Canadians travelling with the group, 10 are from Toronto and remain unaccounted for as of Friday.
The Isha Foundation said in a statement posted to its social media pages that it had lost contact with 80 people from the group and that it had no further information about their whereabouts.
More than 500 people have been confirmed dead following the disaster, with rescue efforts continuing across the affected region. The Associated Press reports that more than 3,700 people have been rescued in Nepal so far.
In an update on Friday, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said the number of Canadians and permanent residents whose whereabouts remain unconfirmed has risen to 32.
In a recent update on Thursday, Global Affairs Canada says given the extremely difficult circumstances on the ground, numbers will fluctuate as new information comes in.
Anand also emphasized that more rain is expected in the region and water levels are expected to rise, which could contribute to the numbers fluctuating.
According to Global Affairs Canada’s Registration of Canadians Abroad system, 858 Canadians were registered as being in Nepal as of Thursday, while another 18 Canadians were registered in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
As part of ongoing rescue and humanitarian efforts, the Canadian government announced Friday that it will provide $5 million in aid to Nepal
Rescue teams continue to search areas affected by the flooding, though damaged infrastructure and difficult conditions have complicated efforts.
