British families are in agony as they try to contact loved ones missing in Nepal following a devastating mudslide described as a 'tsunami from the sky'. As rescue efforts continue, dozens of Britons remain unaccounted for after a massive wall of mud, rock, and ice surged down the Rasuwa valley on Wednesday, obliterating villages, roads, and bridges.
Relatives have spent days in a state of distress, attempting to reach missing individuals by checking phone trackers and making calls that go unanswered due to destroyed power lines and mobile phone masts. Some family members have traveled from Britain to the disaster zone in an effort to find information.
The Nepalese military is facing significant challenges in reaching affected areas, with at least 19 bridges destroyed and 25 miles of primary highway washed away. The disaster has also knocked offline 12% of the nation's power generation capacity. The official death toll has risen to 359, with over 1,000 people, including 540 foreigners, reported missing. Many of the most affected regions are only accessible by helicopter, and experts estimate it will take weeks to reopen the roads.
Survivors have described the sudden and violent nature of the mudslide. One survivor, Janak Bahadur, in the Devighat district, stated the flood 'came in suddenly and exploded like a bomb.' Harrowing videos have emerged, including one showing workers scrambling up a hill to escape the approaching torrent of debris.
Scientists have concluded that the disaster was not triggered by an earthquake, but rather a large glacier fragment collapsing into the valley, which then caused a 5.2-magnitude seismic event.
Among the missing are several Britons, including Sarada Simkhada, a senior nurse from Dartford, Kent, who was on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet. Her childhood friend described her as "very humble and down to earth." Leena Bector, 53, from Slough, Berkshire, is also unaccounted for after traveling to see the Himalayas. Her husband, Bhupesh Bector, has flown to Nepal to search for her. Nabhi Das, from Streatham in South London, a University of Kent graduate, has also not been heard from.
Sunil Amin, from Croydon, expressed his devastation at being unable to reach his wife, Hema Amin, 63, who was on a pilgrimage with her sister. A family of four from Surrey, including a 13-year-old schoolgirl, were also on a tour that crossed into Tibet at the time of the disaster. A poignant photograph of this group smiling on their tour bus before the incident has emerged. Pramod Poudel, a Nepalese street food company owner in Sussex, is distraught as his wife, mother, brother, and uncle are missing, with his father being the only family member found alive so far.
Tour operator Kailash Journeys has confirmed it cannot account for seven British nationals—five women and two men aged between 18 and 55—traveling with their company. Roshan Panday, owner of Fishtail Tours and Travels Group, reported that his group of 27, which included Leena Bector, has had no contact since sending a video nine minutes before the disaster.
In Kathmandu, relatives have gathered at an army base where survivors are being brought by helicopter. A group of 31 tourists, including two Americans, 11 Indians, and nationals from South Korea, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, and Switzerland, were found alive in the Rasuwa district, offering a glimmer of hope. However, in other areas, men have been seen posting photographs of the deceased outside a mortuary for identification.
Nepalese officials have described the disaster zone as "devastation beyond imagination." There are also warnings of potential further mass flooding in the region. Kabita Dhungana, deputy mayor of the Nuwakot district, pleaded for assistance, highlighting the critical situation and the destruction of basic needs.
The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has declared an emergency for 17,000 children affected by the floods, warning of increased risks of disease, malnutrition, violence, and exploitation for the survivors.