A Greek resident of Pokhara, Nepal, has described dramatic scenes of destruction following the devastating floods and mudslides that have left hundreds dead or missing.
Speaking to Alpha TV Greece, Dimitris Giannopoulos recounted the scale of the disaster, which struck areas of Nepal with torrents of water, mud and debris.
"What happened in Nepal was terrible," he said.
According to Giannopoulos, the crisis unfolded rapidly.
"At 9am, a barrier gave way and tonnes of water were released. A torrent came down and swept away villages, towns and bridges. The destruction was enormous and things have only just begun to calm down," he told Alpha.
Villages buried by mud
Giannopoulos stressed that while Nepal is currently in the monsoon season, the scale of the event was exceptional.
"It is the monsoon season, but this was extraordinary. A huge lake poured into the river," he said.
The floodwaters swept away homes, entire villages were buried beneath tonnes of mud and key infrastructure was destroyed.
Rescue operations remain under way as authorities continue searching for survivors and the missing.
No Greeks or Cypriots among the missing
The Greek resident also addressed concerns about Greek and Cypriot nationals in the affected areas.
According to information he received from the relevant consular authorities, no Greeks or Cypriots have been reported among those missing.
"So far, there is no Greek or Cypriot on the list of missing persons," he said.
The comments come as authorities continue to assess the full scale of the disaster and fears remain that the death toll could rise further.
