Nepal has begun diplomatic efforts to trace and rescue citizens reportedly missing after flash floods and landslides triggered by a cloudburst in India’s Uttarakhand state earlier this week, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba said on Friday.

Deuba said she had instructed Nepal’s embassy in New Delhi to coordinate urgently with Indian authorities.

“The news of Nepali citizens going missing in the floods in India is very saddening,” she wrote on social media, adding that the government had already begun diplomatic action.

District officials in Dhading said four residents of ward 2 of Jwalamukhi Municipality—Singh Bahadur Tamang, Lal Bahadur Tamang, Chholama Tamang and Phelama Tamang—have been out of contact since travelling to work in the Dharali area of Uttarkashi district.

Chief District Officer Suman Ghimire said they were believed to be near Dharali when the disaster struck, and that the Home Ministry had sought assistance from the embassy in New Delhi.

Local ward chair Raju Loppa said some of the missing had earlier sent videos of floods and landslides to their families, while ward member Dhan Bahadur Tamang said no further contact had been established.

The floods, which hit Dharali Bazaar on Tuesday after extreme rainfall, swept away dozens of houses and hotels.

Separately, Karnali Province Police said 15 residents of Jajarkot and Jumla have been out of contact following the incident. The missing include five men from ward 2 of Kushe Rural Municipality in Jajarkot—Karna Bahadur Singh, Man Bahadur Singh, Ram Bahadur Singh, Rabin Singh and Nim Bahadur Singh—and 10 from ward 2 of Junichande Rural Municipality in Jumla—Gagan Bahadur Shahi, Ram Bahadur Shahi, Gorakh Bahadur Shahi, Hari Bahadur Khadka, Resham Khadka, Parbati Khadka, Keshav Khadka and Nirmala Khadka.

Meanwhile, Lumbini Province Chief Minister Chet Narayan Acharya urged the federal government to make the search and rescue operation for four Nepalis from Bardiya, reportedly missing in the Uttarakhand floods, more effective.

He also called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expedite the operation through diplomatic channels.

(With inputs from district correspondents)