The death toll from devastating floods in Nepal has risen to at least 626, with 2,426 people still missing as rescue efforts enter their fourth day. Nepalese authorities confirmed the latest figures, an increase from previous tallies.
Among those unaccounted for are 33 British nationals, including a family of four who were on an adventure trek near the Nepal-China border. The family, comprising beauty pageant winner Surabhi Sahu, her husband Santosh Sahu, and their children Spandan and Syna, were due to return home this week. The couple previously ran a technology company in London before Mr. Sahu established a pharmaceutical business. They resided in a house in Cobham, Surrey.
Rescuers continue to comb through mud and debris along the Himalayan border, searching for survivors after a glacier collapse triggered a massive flood. Officials have described the scene as one of "devastation beyond imagination," with the torrents of water reportedly surging as high as 650 feet. The disaster has impacted villages and popular tourist areas, marking one of the country's most severe natural calamities in recent memory.
Roads leading to Kathmandu are congested with traffic and pedestrians desperately seeking information about missing loved ones. Many have not been able to contact family members since the flash flood swept through the region on Wednesday morning. The landscape in many areas has been dramatically altered, with buildings, bridges, and entire neighborhoods reportedly swept away. The grim reality for many is that the longer communication remains impossible, the lower the chances of a positive outcome.
One individual, Prem Bahdur Tamang, was seen on the road to Kathmandu searching for his nephew, Sangyam Rumba. "We haven't seen him since the water came," Tamang stated, describing the destructive wave of mud and debris. "His parents have been crying and haven't eaten for almost three days because they know that the outcome is not going to be good."