Chancellor Friedrich Merz has expressed his sympathy to China and Nepal following the deadly flash floods in the border region between the two countries.
In a telegram of condolence on Friday to the Prime Minister of Nepal, Balendra Shah, Merz wrote that the severe flooding caused him deep concern.
"Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those who have lost their homes as a result of the disaster. I wish those who have been injured a speedy and full recovery," Merz said.
In a letter to China's President Xi Jinping, Merz also expressed his deep dismay at the scale of Wednesday's disaster. His thoughts, he said, were with the victims and all those affected by the disaster "during these difficult hours."
More than 500 people lost their lives in the disaster. Around 2,500 are missing including "a high single-digit number of German nationals," the Foreign Office in Berlin stated in response to an enquiry.
"Our colleagues at the embassies in Kathmandu and Beijing are aware of reports regarding German nationals who are believed to have been in the region and who have not yet been reached following the disaster," officials said.