A British nurse is among at least 33 UK nationals missing following devastating flash floods in Nepal, believed to have been triggered by a glacial collapse. Sarada Simkhada, a senior nurse at Darent Valley Hospital, was on a Hindu pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet when she was last heard from a day before the disaster.
Her relatives have expressed growing concern for her safety. Ms. Simkhada moved to Britain over two decades ago and was on the holy trip after traveling to Nepal the previous Saturday. Her brother posted on social media, urging prayers for her safe return and for rescue teams.
The floods, which occurred on Wednesday, have been described as a "tsunami from the sky" due to the immense power of the water surge. The disaster is believed to have been caused by a high-altitude ice avalanche that triggered a debris flow, which then became a mudslide. Chinese geologist Guo Zhaocheng stated the avalanche debris traveled at approximately 50 meters per second, leaving little time for people to react, and the flow extended over 20 kilometers.
At least 362 people have died in the floods, with around 1,500 more still missing. Among the unaccounted for are two British teenagers, a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy. Leena Bector, 53, from Slough, Berkshire, who was touring the Himalayas, has also not been heard from. Her husband tracked her location, which had remained stationary for seven hours, and he is now en route to Nepal to search for her.
Nabhi Das from Streatham, south London, is another British national missing. He was in the affected area of Nepal and had not been in contact since the floods. Hema Amin, from Croydon, south London, was in Nepal with her sister, and the last contact was on Monday, days before the floodwaters hit. They were on a pilgrimage to Gosainkunda lake, scheduled to last until September 4.
The UK government has offered £5 million to aid Nepal in the aftermath of the disaster and has set up a dedicated helpline for families of those missing. King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales have also expressed their condolences.
Concerns remain for a potential secondary flood event. Chinese authorities have reported the formation of a significant landslide dam near the confluence of the Tsogyal River and the Purupqiangzangbu River in Nepal. This dam has blocked water flow, creating a lake with an estimated volume of two million cubic meters that is already overflowing. An additional three million cubic meters of water is projected to enter the lake in the coming days, raising fears of its collapse. Nepal's disaster management authority has warned residents and rescuers along the lower banks of the Bhotekoshi River to move to safer ground due to the risk of a new flood.