- Malaysia’s Kathmandu Embassy said it lost contact with 11 Malaysian citizens in Rasuwa district after severe flooding.
- Nepal later reported 17 Malaysians among 291 missing foreigners, while search teams continued rescue operations.
- Wisma Putra urged Malaysians in Nepal to stay vigilant, follow local instructions, and update details through e-Konsular.
Wisma Putra said on August 26, 2026, that Malaysia's Kathmandu Embassy had received reports from travel agencies that it had lost contact with 11 Malaysian citizens believed to be in Rasuwa district. Flooding cut communications and electricity. The ministry said the disruption hit communication networks and electricity supplies at the same time.
The embassy said it was “actively coordinating with the local authorities and search and rescue teams currently being deployed by the Nepalese government” to locate them and ensure their safety. Local authorities were involved. Search and rescue teams were already being deployed.
The warning reached the mission through travel agencies after the flood blocked normal contact. The ministry said the breakdown was severe. It affected both communications and electricity supplies, and the embassy was relying on outside reports as it tried to account for the group.
The flood hit the Bhote Koshi River area in Rasuwa district, northern Nepal, on Wednesday morning, August 26, 2026. Market areas, residential areas and infrastructure were damaged. Communication networks and electricity supplies failed together. The district was hit on several fronts, with trading space, homes and services all taking the strain.
Early counts put the disaster at at least 8 deaths. Later counts on the same day raised the toll to 22 killed, with hundreds missing across the affected area. The flood also disrupted travel and left many tourists and workers missing. The emergency kept widening as the day went on.
Nepal's Tourism Board later said 17 Malaysians were among 291 foreign nationals reported missing in the floods. That broader list covered more than one nationality. Malaysia's first count stayed at 11 from travel-agency reports, and the embassy kept citing that figure. The lists did not match.
Malaysians in Nepal were told to stay vigilant
Wisma Putra told Malaysians in Nepal, especially those near affected areas, to remain vigilant, prioritize safety and follow local authority instructions. It also urged them to register and update their details through e-Konsular. The portal was part of the notice. Travelers were told to keep their information current, especially while phones and power were unstable.
The embassy put four contacts on the record
The mission listed four ways to reach staff. General callers got two numbers. Consular help had a separate line. Urgent cases had an emergency number, and email was available too.
- General: +977 1 544 5680 / +977 1 544 5681
- Consular: +977 1 544 5689
- Emergency: +977 980 100 8000
- Email: mwkathmandu@kln.gov.my
Rescue crews kept working as the toll climbed
Nepal police spokesman Abi Narayan Kafle said eight bodies had been found and rescue operations were underway. Teams kept searching through the damaged area. The work went on as the numbers changed.
