Two Israelis are among the more than 4,000 people still missing Thursday following the catastrophic flooding triggered by a glacial collapse in Nepal last week.
At least 1,273 people (1,252 in Nepal, 21 in Tibet) were killed in the Aug. 26 natural disaster.
The missing Israelis are a 60-year-old man and a 41–year–old dual Israeli-Belarusian national.
Nearly 600 foreign tourists and workers from nearly 40 countries are among the unaccounted-for individuals.
Some 30 Jewish visitors are also among the missing, according to the Chabad of Nepal.
“We are in contact with the families, local communities and officials on the ground, trying to piece together every detail,” said Chani Lifshitz, co-director of the Nepal Chabad. “We are checking every report, every name, every location, and every possible lead.”
The floodwaters buried buildings and vehicles in villages for dozens of miles.
“In the situation we are facing, even something as basic and sacred as a Jewish burial is no longer possible,” she said. “The bodies being recovered after days beneath the mud are in the worst possible condition, making identification extremely difficult.”
