Date: August 31, 2026
Reporter: Kim White
The Canadian government has deployed 10 officials to Nepal as the search continues for Canadians and permanent residents who remain unaccounted for following catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-China border.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Monday that the Canadian team in Kathmandu includes consular officials and a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Their mission is to help locate Canadians affected by the disaster, confirm their safety and provide assistance to families anxiously waiting for information.
“Our priority is to locate Canadians and permanent residents and confirm their safety while offering support wherever and whenever possible,” Anand said in a statement.
The deployment comes as rescue operations continue across parts of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China after devastating flooding and mudslides swept through communities, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
The disaster was triggered by a massive release of water and debris in the Himalayan border region, with authorities investigating a glacier collapse as a likely cause. The flooding has produced a humanitarian crisis, leaving hundreds dead and thousands of people missing or unaccounted for.
Canadian officials said approximately 30 Canadians and permanent residents in Nepal and Tibet remain missing. That figure could change as authorities obtain additional information and establish contact with people in areas where communications and transportation infrastructure have been severely damaged.
The number represents an improvement from earlier figures provided by Canadian authorities. On Saturday, Anand announced that one Canadian who had previously been unaccounted for had been located and confirmed safe.
Despite that positive development, dozens of Canadian families remain in a state of uncertainty as rescue workers struggle to reach some of the worst-hit areas.
The Canadian government said its officials are working with trekking companies, hospitals, local police, rescue centres, airlines and Canadian travel-industry partners to collect information and determine the whereabouts of people who may have been caught in the disaster.
The deputy high commissioner of Canada to India is among the 10 Canadian officials currently in Kathmandu. The RCMP has also deployed a liaison officer to Nepal to help determine what additional assistance may be required on the ground.
The police force is working through INTERPOL channels and has offered forensic equipment and expertise to support the identification of victims and other investigative needs.
Canadian officials are also working closely with Nepalese and Chinese authorities, as well as international partners including the Five Eyes countries, France, Japan, Italy and Singapore, in an effort to share information and coordinate assistance.
The scale of the disaster has made the search particularly difficult. Floodwaters and mudslides have destroyed roads and bridges and isolated communities, while large quantities of mud, rock, ice and other debris have made access to affected areas extremely challenging.
Rescue teams in Nepal have been working to reach hundreds of people believed to be trapped inside tunnels at hydropower projects in some of the hardest-hit districts. International specialists from China and India have also joined rescue efforts as authorities attempt to clear blocked tunnels and reach survivors.
The flooding has also affected a large number of foreign nationals who were travelling through the region, including tourists, trekkers and religious pilgrims. Earlier reports from Nepal identified missing people from numerous countries, including Canada, the United States, Australia, Britain, India and several European and Asian nations.
For Canadian families, the uncertainty has been particularly painful because many have been unable to communicate directly with loved ones in the affected areas. Some relatives have travelled to Kathmandu themselves in the hope of receiving information or assisting with the search for missing family members.
The Canadian government has said it understands the profound emotional impact of the situation and is maintaining direct contact with affected families through designated points of contact.
Officials held a collective meeting with families on Monday as they continued providing updates and gathering information about missing Canadians.
The federal government is also providing financial assistance to Nepal as the country responds to the disaster. Ottawa has committed $5 million in humanitarian assistance to support emergency relief efforts, including food, shelter, water, sanitation and health services. The assistance will be delivered through United Nations agencies, the Red Cross and Canadian non-governmental organizations.
Canada has also offered to deploy emergency relief supplies from its stockpiles through the Canadian Red Cross if Nepal requests them.
The humanitarian response comes as Nepal faces enormous challenges in reaching isolated communities and restoring damaged infrastructure. The destruction of roads, bridges and communications networks has slowed rescue operations and complicated efforts to establish accurate casualty and missing-person figures.
The disaster has also raised concerns about the growing risks associated with climate change and the instability of glaciers in the Himalayas. Experts have increasingly warned that warming temperatures can contribute to glacier instability and sudden releases of water capable of producing devastating floods downstream.
For the Canadian government, however, the immediate priority remains locating its citizens and permanent residents.
Canadian authorities have urged families with relatives who may have been affected to remain in contact with Global Affairs Canada, while Canadians in the region have been advised to follow official travel warnings and avoid non-essential travel to the affected areas.
Canada updated its travel advice for both Nepal and China on Monday, warning against non-essential travel to areas affected by the flooding and mudslides because of ongoing risks and extensive damage.
The government has also emphasized that the situation remains fluid and that the number of Canadians considered missing may change as communications are restored and rescue teams gain access to previously isolated locations.
The search is being conducted under extremely difficult circumstances, with rescue personnel facing unstable terrain, damaged infrastructure and the continuing possibility of additional flooding and landslides.
For families waiting in Canada, every new piece of information has become significant. The discovery of one previously missing Canadian alive has provided a measure of hope, but the fate of approximately 30 others remains unknown.
Ottawa says its officials will continue working around the clock with Nepalese, Chinese and international authorities to identify and locate those still missing.
The devastating floods have already caused widespread loss of life and destruction across the Himalayan region. As rescue teams continue searching through debris and isolated communities, Canada is increasing its presence on the ground in an effort to bring answers to families waiting thousands of kilometres away.
For now, the search continues, with Canadian officials working alongside international rescue and humanitarian teams to locate missing Canadians, confirm their safety and support those affected by one of the region's most devastating natural disasters in recent years.