A bloodbath in Nepal! 626 people lost their lives, Turkish guide Elena Öksüz missing
In the dust and avalanche disaster that has struck Nepal's regions near the Chinese border, the death toll has risen to 626, while out of 1924 people none have been reported. It emerged that the Turkish national and tour guide Elena Öksüz also disappeared in the disaster. Since August 26, the Foreign Ministry and the Istanbul Guides Association have taken action on behalf of Öksüz, who has not been heard from since then.
After heavy rains that struck areas near Nepal's border with China, the resulting floods and flash floods caused extensive damage across the country. According to data from the Nepal National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the death toll rose to 626.
In the search and rescue operations launched after the disaster, about 4,000 people were rescued, but 1,924 remain missing, including 517 foreigners.
No news from Turkish guide Elena Öksüz
Among those lost in the disaster was Turkish citizen and tour guide Elena Öksüz.
According to a report on NTV, Selçuk Eracun, chair of the Istanbul Guides Association Board, said that Öksüz was in Nepal during the disaster.
It was reported that Öksüz crossed into Nepal from Tibet on August 8 and organized a tour with a group there. Since she left the hotel on the day of the disaster, no news has been received about her since August 26.
It was stated that Öksüz, who is also a Russian citizen, used his Russian passport when entering Nepal, and therefore the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was initially unaware of the situation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Intervenes
It was noted that Öksüz, holding dual citizenship, used his Russian passport to benefit from visa exemption in Nepal.
After the report of the disappearance of the Istanbul Guides Association, it was learned that Öksüz contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was also noted that he had previously gone to Adıyaman after the Kahramanmaraş‑centered earthquakes to serve as a translator for search and rescue teams.
Thousands of People Missing
After the flood disaster in Nepal, search and rescue operations are continuing on a large scale. It was reported that the floodwaters destroyed many bridges, rendered roads unusable, and caused extensive damage to the region's infrastructure.
It was announced that about 4,000 people were rescued from the flood zones, and that 15,000 security personnel were involved in search, rescue, and aid operations.
A Glacier Collapse May Be Behind the Disaster
A seismic event of magnitude 5.2 was recorded in the region before the disaster. After the U.S. Geological Survey updated its data, it was stated that the event was not an earthquake but the result of a glacier collapse.
According to experts, the dragging of a massive ice mass about 600 meters wide down thousands of meters in the valley moved a huge amount of water and mud. The resulting wave is said to have swept away houses, roads, bridges, and infrastructure.
The Second Flood Threat Triggered Panic in the Region
After the first disaster, a man‑made lake formed from the accumulation of rock fragments that broke off from the Himalayas in a region. The lake, which holds about 3 million cubic meters of water, brought a new flood risk.
The close monitoring of the region by Chinese and Nepali officials prevented a possible second disaster. Due to the possibility that the water level could reach a critical point, search and rescue operations were temporarily suspended, and residents were warned to move to higher ground.
It was reported that teams are continuing their efforts to locate missing persons and reach residents in the affected areas.
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