Kathmandu, Sept. 7 -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Rabi Lamichhane, president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, on Monday to express condolences over the loss of life in the Bhotekoshi floods and solidarity with the people and government of Nepal.

Rubio also said the United States was ready to provide additional support, the RSP said in a statement on X.

The call came in the aftermath of the August 26 floods along the Bhotekoshi river, which have devastated riverbank areas. So far, 1,355 bodies have been recovered, while another 5,000 people remain missing, including approximately 600 foreign nationals from 35 countries.

The conversation between the two leaders, however, caught even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by surpris...