The short version
- At least 675 people have died and over 3,000 remain missing after severe flash floods struck Nepal and Tibet.
- Thirty-three British citizens are among the unaccounted for, including pilgrims traveling to high-altitude religious sites.
- Families are utilizing social media footage and GPS data to pinpoint last known locations of relatives before official rescue teams arrive.
Catastrophic flash floods that swept through valleys in Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday have resulted in a significant loss of life, with the death toll rising to at least 675. More than 3,000 individuals remain missing as rescue operations struggle to reach isolated areas devastated by the sudden surge of water. The disaster has drawn international attention, particularly regarding the safety of foreign nationals who were traveling in the region during the event.
Among those unaccounted for are thirty-three British citizens, a group that includes healthcare workers, a priest, and a thirteen-year-old child. A specialized team from the United Kingdom is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on Saturday to assist with search and recovery efforts. The uncertainty surrounding these individuals has prompted families to take independent actions to locate their loved ones while awaiting official confirmation of their status.
Tulshi Patel, a pharmacist from Milton Keynes, has been actively searching for her mother, Hemangini Jitendra Patel, and her aunt, Hema Sunil Amin. The two women had embarked on a long-planned pilgrimage intended to take them into Tibet, a journey they had discussed throughout the year. Their last confirmed communication occurred on Monday, followed by a photograph sent on Tuesday, after which contact was lost.
Patel traced the pair’s final known position using a combination of GPS signals from their tour group and a video posted on TikTok. The footage, uploaded by a local Nepali guide shortly before 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, shows her mother, aunt, and three other tourists waiting at the Friendship Bridge on the Nepal-China border. Although the group was scheduled to cross the border on Tuesday, delays likely caused them to wait until Wednesday morning.
The timing of their delay proved critical. The floods are believed to have been triggered by a magnitude 5.2 earthquake near the border region at 8:37 a.m. local time, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. This seismic event occurred just hours after the video was posted, suggesting the group was in the immediate path of the disaster when it struck.
Patel described her mother and aunt as physically fit and mentally prepared for the trek, noting that they had engaged in regular walking exercises to build endurance. Despite their preparation, the suddenness of the flood left no time for evacuation. Patel has continued to message the tour guide via WhatsApp, hoping he may have a local SIM card with signal, but has received no response.
Other families are facing similar logistical and emotional hurdles. Neetu Goyal Tiwari, a 51-year-old woman on a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, is also missing. Her family believes she may still be in China, but visa restrictions for relatives based in India complicate efforts to search for her directly. Her brother expressed desperation as they attempt to reach every possible contact in the region.
Leena Bector, 53, from Slough, is among twenty-seven travelers currently unaccounted for. Her husband, Bhupesh Bector, booked a flight to Kathmandu after the UK Home Office failed to confirm whether she was on the official missing persons list. He emphasized the need to be present regardless of the outcome, citing the trauma his wife would likely face if found alive.
While some families have traveled to Nepal to join search efforts, others, like Patel’s, have decided against it due to uncertainty about how close they could get to the affected zones. The focus remains on gathering information and supporting official rescue teams. As the days pass, the hope for survivors diminishes, but relatives continue to monitor digital traces and communicate with local contacts in a bid to find answers.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of travelers in remote mountainous regions prone to seismic activity and extreme weather. With thousands still missing, the coming weeks will be critical for determining the full scale of the tragedy. International aid and diplomatic efforts are expected to intensify as governments work to account for their citizens and provide support to grieving families.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗Daughter traces mother and aunt’s last known location in Nepal through TikTok video
