Sky News reporter Neville Lazarus has issued a breaking news update on the devastating floods in Nepal, where more than 560 people have died and nearly 2,500 are missing. Speaking from a safe spot near the scene of the tragedy, he described the upsetting scenes he has encountered since the disaster began.
Reporter describes tragic scenes
Lazarus said: "It is still unfolding, the catastrophic events that have sort of engulfed this nation, which is one of the poorest in the world. And we are, you know, by the hour, there are really tragic stories coming out. I spoke to earlier...to a man who had lost 40 of his family members, extended family members...There were about 450 homes, establishments, and shops, all almost destroyed and devastated. The water, silt and debris almost to the first floor of these homes, which were on higher ground, away from the river banks, but the flow of the water had just inundated all of this, swallowed all of that up, and we've seen some horrific pitches coming out."
He added that there remains a significant threat of further flooding, causing distress and anxiety among residents. "As soon as they hear someone shouting that the waters are flowing faster or there's a rise in the waters, everyone panics, and they run to higher ground. This morning, workers had to stop their work, and also the excavators were moved out from this area because they had a warning from upstream that there would be flooding taking place, and people were evacuated by the administration."
British nationals missing
Lazarus continued: "So a lot of panic is still around there. The sort of trauma of what has happened will haunt every family for a very, very long time."
Currently, 33 British nationals remain missing after the flash floods near the Nepal-Tibet border. Families and friends of those uncontactable have spoken of their anguish after their loved ones did not respond to urgent messages about their well-being.
Devastation beyond imagination
Nepali authorities described the scenes on Wednesday as "devastation beyond imagination" after a torrential wall of water, standing 650ft high, tore through a valley in the Rasuwa region, north of Kathmandu.
King Charles expressed that he and the Queen were "heartbroken" and extended their "most profound sympathy" to all those affected. He said: "Many in the United Kingdom have strong, deep and personal ties to this part of the world. We send our most profound sympathy to all those who have so tragically lost their loved ones and we feel deeply for the many families awaiting anxiously the news of friends and relations."
