The number of Ukrainian citizens being searched for in the disaster zone remains unchanged at 56; there is currently no information about Ukrainian citizens among those injured or killed, the press service of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said as of 12:00 Kyiv time.
"The MFA Consular Service Department maintains constant contact with the relatives, while the Ukrainian embassies in India and China and the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Nepal remain in round-the-clock contact with local authorities, search-and-rescue services, tour operators and foreign partners. There is currently no information about Ukrainian citizens among those injured or killed," the MFA said in a statement on Saturday.
A group of consular officials from the Embassy of Ukraine in India is currently in Nepal.
According to the MFA, search-and-rescue operations are conducted daily from early morning. The use of aircraft is hampered by fog and is possible only during the first half of the day.
It was reported that rescue operations were temporarily suspended yesterday due to the high risk of a breach of a landslide-dammed lake in Tibet. However, after a gradual, controlled water outflow was recorded, the search resumed on the water, on land and from the air.
On the Chinese side, professional firefighting and rescue teams reached the checkpoint "Zhirong" directly up to the hardest-hit central area. More than 2,000 people and more than 300 pieces of equipment have been deployed in total, with the situation being coordinated by China’s top leadership. Road access to the epicenter remains blocked due to extensive damage to the roadway. The situation remains difficult because of the scale of the destruction and the risk of further landslides.
At the initiative of the Embassy of Ukraine in India, requests were sent through Nepal’s competent authorities to Interpol and to the company operating devices with geolocation functions that some Ukrainian citizens had with them. Data were received on the last coordinates recorded before the disaster struck. The company continues efforts to establish the current locations of the devices to assist in the search.
The MFA, its Consular Service Department and the Ukrainian embassies in India and China continue to monitor the situation and keep the case concerning the disappearance of 56 Ukrainian citizens under special control.
