56 Ukrainians Still Missing After Nepal-Tibet Floods; DNA Transfer Ongoing
The fate of 56 Ukrainian citizens remains unknown more than a month after devastating floods and landslides struck northern Nepal and the Tibet region on August 26, 2026. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry confirmed that efforts to locate the missing continue, with DNA data from the families of missing Ukrainians being transferred to local Nepali authorities to assist identification procedures.
Ongoing Search and Identification Efforts
The catastrophic flooding and subsequent landslides in the high-altitude regions of northern Nepal and adjacent parts of Tibet caused widespread destruction and loss of life. Among the foreigners caught in the disaster were a significant number of Ukrainian nationals, many of them believed to be tourists or trekkers in the Himalayan region.
Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been actively engaged with Nepali authorities since the disaster struck. Consular staff have worked to gather information on Ukrainian citizens who were in the affected areas at the time of the floods. The process of collecting biological material and DNA data from relatives of the missing in Ukraine, and transmitting that information to Nepali forensic authorities, is ongoing.
Coordination with Nepali Authorities
Nepali authorities face immense challenges in identifying victims, given the scale of destruction and the remoteness of the affected areas. The DNA transfer process is intended to help match remains found in flood-affected zones with the families of those still listed as missing.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has urged families with missing relatives to come forward and provide DNA samples through designated collection points. Consular assistance is being provided to families navigating the complex international identification process.
A Humanitarian Tragedy
The August floods in Nepal and Tibet are among the deadliest natural disasters in the region in recent years. The tragedy has affected nationals from multiple countries, and international coordination has been essential to managing the aftermath. Ukraine joins several other nations in the ongoing search for its citizens lost in the disaster.
Families of the missing continue to wait anxiously for news, with no confirmed fate for dozens of Ukrainians still missing weeks after the catastrophe.