About 85 Americans are still missing after devastating Nepal floods
Washington DC - About 85 Americans remain missing after a devastating flood swept through a remote region of the Himalayas, the State Department said on Sunday.
The US figure is just a small fraction of the more than 3,000 people who remain missing after the disaster.
At least 797 people have been confirmed dead by authorities in Nepal and China after the wall of water, mud and debris tore through the region and overwhelmed entire villages early Wednesday.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told ABC talk show This Week that nine Americans have been evacuated and that he was unaware of any US nationals dying in the disaster.
"The remoteness of this location makes getting reliable information difficult. But our dedication remains, our commitment remains," Pigott said.
The US and Canada said they would each provide $3.6 million in aid, while the UK has offered $6.8 million. The United Nations released $2.5 million in emergency funding.
Part of the US funding will go towards road repairs and "mobilizing specialized transport options" to reach remote areas with food and other aid, Pigott said.
The onslaught was prompted by a glacial collapse, the US Geological Survey said, with Chinese experts pointing to a "glacier on the southern slope of Lirung Peak in Nepal" that fractured.
Cover photo: PRAKASH MATHEMA / AFP