At least 488 Indian nationals were "uncontactable" or "stranded" in Nepal and China as of Thursday afternoon, India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a briefing.
"There are 288 Indian nationals who remain uncontactable. These include 73 Indian nationals working on Trishuli 1 power project. Our embassy in Kathmandu is in touch with the project head," Jaiswal told reporters, adding that the missing Indians come from several states, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala.
As of 1 p.m. local time, 21 Indian nationals from Tamil Nadu had been rescued in Nepal, Jaiswal said. "Our ambassador has spoken to the people in the group and has assured all possible help," he said.
Hundreds of Indian nationals were also stranded on the Chinese side of the disaster.
"A number of Indian nationals who had gone on the Kailash Mansorovar Yatra are stranded on the Chinese side. There are approximately 200 Indian nationals there who have sought our assistance for evacuation," the spokesperson said, adding that the Indian embassy in Beijing was coordinating with local authorities for their safe return to India.
Jaiswal warned that the flash floods had put authorities in a "dynamic situation," with the numbers of those missing, stranded or rescued likely to change in the upcoming hours.