OTTAWA — One Canadian previously reported missing following the catastrophic flooding in Nepal has been found safe, offering a moment of relief as Canadian officials continue searching for 29 other citizens and permanent residents who remain unaccounted for.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed that the individual had been unable to communicate because of widespread telecommunications outages caused by the disaster.
Contact was finally established on Tuesday, confirming the person was safe.
The development comes as Nepal continues to deal with the devastating consequences of massive flash flooding that struck the Himalayan border region with China about a week ago.
The disaster was triggered after a glacier collapsed, unleashing a destructive torrent of water, ice, rocks and debris through valleys and communities below.
More than 1,100 people have been killed and over 3,900 remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.
The disaster has also affected hundreds of international travellers.
According to Nepal’s Foreign Ministry, approximately 590 foreign nationals from 39 countries remain unaccounted for, making the operation an international effort involving governments, rescue agencies and diplomatic officials from around the world.
For Canada, the confirmation that one missing person has been located reduces the number of unaccounted-for Canadian citizens and permanent residents from 30 to 29.
Canadian officials have been working with Nepalese authorities, local police, hospitals, rescue organizations, trekking companies and other partners in an effort to determine the whereabouts of those who remain missing.
Communication failures have complicated those efforts. With telephone and internet connections disrupted in some of the hardest-hit areas, authorities have cautioned that being listed as missing does not necessarily mean an individual has been injured or caught directly in the flooding.
The Canadian found safe is an example of how communication outages can prevent travellers from contacting their families or authorities for several days.
At the same time, the enormous number of people still missing means rescue teams continue to face an urgent and difficult task.
Canada is also increasing its humanitarian response to the disaster.
Anand announced that more than 18,000 emergency relief items from Canadian Red Cross stockpiles will be sent to the affected region.
The supplies will supplement the $5 million in humanitarian assistance already pledged by the federal government.
The emergency materials are expected to help communities struggling with the destruction of homes, roads, communications and other essential infrastructure.
Rescue operations have been particularly challenging because many affected communities are located in remote mountainous terrain where flooding and landslides have damaged or completely cut off road access.
Helicopters, including military and private aircraft, have been deployed to reach stranded residents and deliver emergency assistance to communities that cannot be accessed by road.
The scale of the disaster continues to unfold as rescuers enter previously inaccessible areas.
For families in Canada waiting for information about loved ones, the confirmation that one missing Canadian has been found safe provides some hope.
But with 29 Canadians and permanent residents still unaccounted for, the search remains far from over.
Canadian authorities are continuing efforts to establish contact with every missing individual while providing assistance to affected families.
As Nepal faces one of the most devastating natural disasters in its recent history, the priority remains finding survivors, restoring communications and reaching communities that have been isolated since the floods struck.
For 29 Canadian families, the wait for news continues.