A family in Richmond, Virginia, is holding onto hope for four missing relatives after catastrophic flash floods devastated areas along the Nepal-China border, prompting pleas for increased rescue assistance.
Mukti Patel shared that her father, sister, and two other relatives are unaccounted for after the hotel they were staying in was washed away by the floods that struck on Wednesday. Hundreds of people have been confirmed dead, and more than 2,000 remain missing in the disaster.
According to the U.S. State Department, approximately 90 Americans are among those missing. The family's relatives were part of a two-week excursion organized by Himalayan Glacier Adventure and Travel Company, which has an office in Baltimore. The tour group consisted of 40 guests and seven tour guides, all of whom are currently missing.
Patel's father, Umesh Kumar, 56, had long planned the trip. He traveled through India to Nepal, where he was joined by his daughter Akanksha Patel, 32, and her husband, Ishan Patel, 32. Ishan Patel's mother, Shilpa, 59, was also part of the trek. Mukti Patel stated that Ishan and Shilpa Patel hold dual Canadian and U.S. citizenship, while Umesh Kumar and Akanksha Patel are Canadian citizens.
Akanksha Patel is a psychiatrist known for her advocacy in breaking down mental health stigma, her sister said. Ishan Patel, an orthopedic surgeon, turned 32 on Wednesday. His family last spoke to him that day to wish him a happy birthday.
Mukti Patel expressed a desire for more international support for the ongoing rescue and recovery operations. "I want my family to come home," she said.