KATHMANDU, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the devastating floods in northern Nepal has reached 270, the Nepal Police said in a statement on Thursday.
As many as 644 tourists have been reported missing following the flash floods, according to the latest report from the Nepal Tourism Board.
Among the missing are 127 Nepali nationals and 517 foreign tourists from about 30 countries, the report said.
Rescue and search operations are continuing in the affected areas, with authorities working to locate missing people and recover more bodies.
Rescue teams have airlifted 305 people, while 7,451 security personnel have been mobilized for search and rescue operations, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said.
On Thursday, Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Australia will deploy crisis response experts to Nepal in response to devastating flash flooding.
On Wednesday, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed sorrow over the loss of lives caused by severe flooding in Nepal and said Sri Lanka stands ready to assist with rescue and clearance operations. ■