Families fly to Nepal to search for missing British nationals
Relatives of missing British nationals travel to Nepal to assist search operations following deadly floods and landslides that left over 538 dead.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Families fly to Nepal to help search for 33 missing British nationals
- Floods and landslides leave at least 538 people dead across the region
- Nepalese authorities report 573 tourists remain missing after the disaster
- USGS confirms seismic event was caused by glacial collapse and debris flow
Families of missing British citizens are flying out to Nepal to assist ongoing search and rescue operations after deadly floods and landslides struck the country. The disaster hit early Wednesday morning in Rasuwa, just north of Nepal's capital Kathmandu. Nepalese authorities have named 573 tourists who remain unaccounted for, while rescue efforts continue despite fears of a secondary wave of flooding following a disaster that has killed at least 538 people.
Neetu Goyal Tiwari, 51, is among the missing Britons after travelling to Nepal to fulfill her dream of taking part in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage. Her brother, Naresh Goyal, told the BBC that she travelled from London to Delhi before heading to Kathmandu on August 14 with a group from the Isha Foundation, expecting to return to India on Thursday. Naresh expressed his deep distress, stating the family has reached out to every Indian government helpline and the British Embassy in Kathmandu for answers.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Tour operators have also confirmed multiple missing travelers, with Fishtail Tours and Travels stating that Leena Bector from Slough is among 27 unaccounted-for clients. Rajendra Pudasaini, an Essex nurse, stated his relatives were swept away by the floods, while Darent Valley Hospital senior nurse Sarada Simkhada, who was making the traditional Hindu spiritual journey to Mount Kailash, is also missing according to local reports.
Vikram Kolagatla from London told the BBC he has had no contact with his wife, Geetha Reddy, who was staying at Hotel Kailash in Rasuwagadh during the floods. Tatajana Phillips from Folkestone in Kent said her sister Julija Jakovicka, a mother of two living in Germany attending a yoga retreat near the Nepal-Tibet border, lost contact an hour before flash floods struck. Pramod Poudel, known as Pedro, from East Sussex, is traveling home to Nepal because his wife Sumitra Sapkota and family are missing, alongside University of Kent graduate Nabhi Das from South London.
"Please help us find her" Naresh Goyal
Operators including The Trekkers' Society, Alpine Eco Trek, Himalayan Glacier US, Kailash Journeys, and Fishtail Tours have reported missing British nationals. Alpine Eco Trek confirmed 12 Britons booked on its Mount Kailash tour were unreachable, including a 13-year-old girl and four Nepalese tour guides. The US Geological Survey stated that additional analysis showed the 5.2 magnitude seismic event near the border was generated by a glacial collapse and debris flow rather than a tectonic earthquake.
This tragic flash flood in Nepal highlights the extreme vulnerability of mountainous pilgrimage routes near the Tibet border, where rapid glacial changes and seismic activity can trigger catastrophic debris flows with little warning. The involvement of foreign nationals and international families traveling for spiritual retreats underscores the widespread impact of the disaster, while UK financial aid and diplomatic support aim to bolster local rescue operations facing severe logistical challenges.
Source: BBC Science & Environment
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