The foreign ministry says their identities and details are being verified with Nepalese authorities.
Their identities and details are being withheld pending verification, a ministry official said.
Emergency teams in Nepal have recovered 472 bodies after a tsunami-like wall of water and mud crashed down on Wednesday, burying homes, smashing bridges and sweeping away vehicles in both Nepal and Tibet.
More than 1,400 people are missing, including trekkers in the Himalayas and scores of Hindu pilgrims.
Nepalese authorities have reported that 490 Nepalese and 38 foreigners have been rescued so far. No Malaysians have been identified among those rescued based on the latest information received.
Foreign ministry deputy secretary-general Syed Mohamad Hasrin said the figures on missing Malaysians remain subject to verification based on information from Nepalese authorities and relevant agencies.
He said foreign minister Mohamad Hasan had instructed the ministry to intensify efforts to locate the missing Malaysians, following which an official from the Malaysian high commission in Dhaka was sent to Kathmandu to assist the Malaysian embassy in Nepal.
The Malaysian embassy in Kathmandu is also working with Nepalese authorities, the tourism board, and tour operators to obtain and verify information on the Malaysians, he said.
The flash floods and landslides in Rasuwa district occurred on Wednesday after the Bhote Koshi River overflowed, causing severe damage to roads and bridges and disrupting electricity and communications.
Syed said the situation has made access to the affected areas difficult, hampering search and rescue efforts and the gathering of information on Malaysians in those areas.
He said the ministry was also monitoring safety warnings issued by Nepalese authorities about the risk of further water overflows in border areas. Conditions in the affected areas remained challenging and could change rapidly, while weather and damaged infrastructure were hampering search and rescue efforts.
“We are hoping for the best. But under these conditions, it is quite difficult. Their authorities are also dealing with their own affected citizens. The situation is severe, with cut-off roads, damaged bridges and so on,” he said.
Family members with relevant information are urged to contact the foreign ministry’s 24-hour operations room at +603 8887 4570 or email dutyofficer@kln.gov.my. - FMT
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