Latvia's fire and rescue service not planning to send rescuers to Nepal, where 33 Latvians remain missing

Latvia's State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) says it is not currently considering sending personnel to Nepal in response to the recent large-scale natural disaster there. The agency explained that such a deployment is not being planned for now, since no official request for assistance has come from Nepal.

VUGD noted that international aid — whether provided bilaterally or through organizations such as the European Union — is always based on needs defined by the affected country itself. So far, Nepal has not approached Latvia through diplomatic channels or international organizations to request experts, teams or personnel.

Scale of the disaster

The disaster began on August 26, when a glacier collapse triggered a flow of ice debris. This in turn caused a glacial lake outburst, sending water and mud flooding through areas of Nepal and China and causing extensive damage. By Monday morning, at least 900 people were confirmed dead, with nearly 4,800 still reported missing.

Latvians among those affected

A large group of Latvian tourists had been near the epicenter of the disaster. Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that three Latvian nationals were unharmed by the flood-triggered mudslide, but 33 others are currently considered missing. A staff member from the ministry's Consular Department is set to travel to Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, in connection with the situation.

Latvia's embassy in Beijing received a list from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Consular Department naming 33 Latvian citizens who had crossed, planned to cross, or were exiting through the Gyirong border crossing point. However, Chinese authorities currently do not know the exact whereabouts of the people on that list.