President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed his deep sympathies to Nepal on Thursday following a devastating flash flood near the country’s northern border with Tibet, China.
Taking to social media, President Marcos offered his condolences and prayers to the grieving families affected by the disaster.
“The Philippines extends its deepest condolences to our friends in Nepal and to all those affected by the deadly flash flood yesterday,” Marcos stated.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to those who lost family, loved ones and friends. Please accept our most heartfelt prayers for strength in this difficult time,” he added.
Concurrently, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, alongside the Honorary Consul, is actively coordinating with local Nepalese authorities to verify reports regarding a Filipino national missing in the wake of the deluge and subsequent mudslide along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Officials have not yet released the identity or status of the missing individual.
“The Honorary Consul is verifying with the Nepal authorities, including status of tourist or worker and identity,” Castro noted.
The catastrophe unfolded after an immense surge of mud, rocks, and ice collapsed into a Himalayan river, triggering raging torrents that devastated settlements along the border. By Thursday, local death tolls surpassed 160 individuals, with hundreds more unaccounted for as search and rescue operations pressed on.
While initial assessments considered seismic activity, experts and satellite imagery suggest the tragedy stemmed from a glacier collapse that triggered a massive ice-and-rock avalanche into the Lhende River, severely damaging a vital highway connecting Kathmandu and Lhasa.