Devastating floods and landslides in Nepal have displaced communities, destroyed homes and left thousands missing. As rescue teams search for survivors, families from the UK, India and elsewhere are travelling to Nepal in search of their missing loved ones and answers.
Families of missing British nationals have travelled to Nepal to join the search after catastrophic floods killed more than 1,000 people across Nepal and Tibet, with around 4,000 people still missing.
At least 33 British nationals remain missing in Nepal, while another 15 are reported missing in China as rescue teams continue searching for survivors and trying to reach communities cut off by the disaster.
Several international travellers, including people taking part in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, were stranded or lost contact with their families after floods swept away bridges, damaged roads and destroyed key infrastructure along the border. Dramatic videos of the flooding and destruction have also been widely shared on social media, giving a glimpse of the scale of the disaster.
The situation has left families desperately seeking information about their loved ones. Relatives have been posting photographs and videos of those still missing online, hoping other travellers, rescue workers or local residents may be able to identify them or provide information about their whereabouts.
The UK has stepped up its humanitarian response, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledging £5 million towards relief and recovery efforts in Nepal. The Red Cross has also launched a £23 million emergency appeal after releasing £1 million to support the immediate lifesaving response.
India has also provided assistance, sending 10 tonnes of disaster-relief supplies, including temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and medicines. The US has announced $500,000 in emergency aid and deployed a disaster response adviser, while China and the EU have also offered assistance. Charities around the world have also launched appeals for donations to support relief efforts and help Nepal recover from the devastating disaster.
The international response comes as rescue teams continue to assess the devastation and search for those still missing. The floods have raised concerns over disaster preparedness and the vulnerability of communities and infrastructure along the region’s river systems.
Indian diaspora missing in Nepal floods
At least 15 British nationals are missing in China following the devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet, taking the total number of missing Britons on both sides of the border to 48. Chinese authorities said the 15 are among 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries reported missing in Tibet, including 104 Nepalis, 49 Indians, 33 Latvians and 18 Americans.
A further 33 British nationals remain missing in Nepal, including people who were on the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. Sisters Hemangini Jitendra Patel and Hema Sunil Amin were last seen at the Friendship Bridge on the Nepal-China border.
Among those missing is Neetu Goyal Tiwari, who travelled from London to Nepal for the pilgrimage. Her husband, Shantanu, said she was at the Gyirong checkpoint when the floods struck, with Chinese authorities coordinating the search for her.
Anant Patel from Coventry is still waiting for news of his parents, Bipin and Mala Patel, who went missing while on pilgrimage. They had crossed into Tibet shortly before the landslide struck the Gyirong border crossing. Anant and his brother Deepesh remain in contact with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Pramod Poudel, who lives in Sussex, returned to his childhood village in Nepal after devastating flash floods left his mother Tulisa, brother Pradip and uncle Madav and wife Sumitra missing and feared dead. He travelled for eight hours through the mountains to reach his father, the only surviving member of his immediate family.
Poudel said the village where he grew up had been completely washed away, taking with it his childhood memories, home and family. His wife, whom he married just two months ago, had been planning to move to the UK to join him.
The floods, triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, swept away homes, buildings and bridges.
Pramod Poudel told ITV News that the floods had destroyed his old school, with many students, teachers and friends among those feared missing. Overcome with emotion, he struggled to speak about his mother and said his father Purusottam, who survived, had lost his family, home and life’s savings.
The Nepalese Army has been carrying out regular helicopter rescue missions, and Pramod hopes to reach his village to find out what happened to his missing relatives.
His father recalled receiving flood warnings and trying to alert the family before seeing the flood wave approaching. He escaped by running up a hill and said surviving had given him a reason to keep going.
Pramod later reunited with his father after an eight-hour trek through the mountains, in an emotional meeting that his uncle Prakash described as impossible to put into words, ITV News reported.
Essex nurse Rajendra Pudasaini said several relatives, including his wife’s aunt and uncle, their granddaughter and her husband, and his godson, were “swept away” by the floods. He said the water arrived so quickly that they could not be saved.
Meanwhile, Tanay Ranjan said he has not heard from his brother Ankit Ranjan, 39, and sister-in-law Ankita Chandra, 35, since August 26. The couple were travelling with Kailash Journey on a pilgrimage, but their whereabouts remain unknown. Ranjan said the family was “devastated”.
Sarada Simkhada, from Dartford, was among those who went missing while on a Hindu pilgrimage to a sacred mountain when devastating flash floods struck the region. The senior nurse at Darent Valley Hospital, who moved to the UK around two decades ago, was described by a friend as a highly dedicated and hardworking person. Her brother Shambhu said the family was desperately praying for her safe return.
A Surrey family of four is also missing, including 18-year-old Spandan Sahu, his parents Santosh Sahu, 46, and Surabhi Manmath Padhy, 44, and his 13-year-old sister Syna Kumari Sahu. Spandan had recently completed his A-levels at Royal Grammar School Guildford. The school said it was “hoping for positive news” and expressed its sympathy to families affected by the disaster.
London resident Vikram Kolagatla said he has not heard from his wife, Geetha Reddy, since the devastating floods struck. Reddy, a mother of two daughters aged 12 and 14, was staying at Hotel Kailash in Rasuwagadh when the disaster occurred. Kolagatla said the family was struggling to cope with the uncertainty, adding that the floods had “taken everything” and left them desperately waiting for news of her safety.
Meanwhile, Folkestone resident Tatajana Phillips said her sister, Julija Jakovicka, has been missing near the Nepal-Tibet border. Julija, a mother of two living in Germany, had travelled to Nepal for a yoga and meditation retreat. Her family has had no contact with her since about an hour before the floods hit.
Prajval Haldia is still waiting for news of his parents, Pavan and Kavita Haldia, who travelled to Kathmandu before heading to Mount Kailash. Speaking from the Sanatan Mandir temple in south London, where 16 community members remain missing, he said the support of others was helping him stay hopeful.
Haldia said Chinese authorities confirmed that his parents had completed immigration at Gyirong Port and were registered as missing on the Tibetan side. He urged the British government and Chinese authorities to work closely to locate them.
Elsewhere, Leena Bector of Slough is among 27 travellers linked to Fishtail Tours and Travels who remain unaccounted for. Her husband, Bhupesh Bector, said he planned to travel to Nepal to help find her.
British psychiatrist Pravin Atmakur, 54, are also missing. Atmakur was leading a group of 77 pilgrims in Tibet when the floods struck, while his wife Manjula travelled to Nepal in search of him.
Nabhi Nandan Das, 64, from Streatham, was leading a group of 11 British pilgrims, including a 13-year-old girl, on a sacred journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar when the group went missing following the floods.
Das, a priest who works at a temple in Coulsdon, Croydon and a University of Kent graduate was identified as one of the missing pilgrims by members of the congregation. Ravi Cauhan, 37, said several worshippers from the temple were part of the tour and the disaster had caused anxiety among members, with worried messages circulating in community group chats.
Sarisha Pillay, sister-in-law of South African couple Vivagnathan and Janet Pillay, said their family was desperately seeking information after they went missing while travelling with the Alpine Eco Trek & Expedition group to the sacred Gosainkunda alpine lake. Their four daughters in South Africa were “worried sick”, she said, adding that the group had reportedly crossed the border around 8.30am.
Meanwhile, ISKCON Nepal said it had lost contact with 17 international pilgrims from the UK, South Africa and Ireland who were travelling to Gosainkunda. The organisation appealed to authorities and rescue teams to help locate them, citing the remote terrain and poor mobile connectivity in the region. Located in Langtang National Park at about 14,100 feet, Gosainkunda is an important pilgrimage site but is difficult to access because of its rugged terrain, unpredictable weather and limited communication.
Tour operator Kailash Journeys said it has been unable to account for seven UK nationals, five women and two men aged between 18 and 55, who were travelling with the company when the disaster struck.
Meanwhile, Kathmandu-based trekking and expedition operator Leaf Holidays said its group of 55 travellers remains missing. Among them are four British nationals, Tara and Babar Gurung, and Thaneswar and Tejkumari Gurung, who have not been heard.
Several of those still missing were on pilgrimage to the sacred Hindu site of Mount Kailash, according to Nepalese tour operator The Trekkers’ Society.
The operator said nine British nationals on one of its tours remain unaccounted for four men aged 14, 50, 50 and 54, and five women aged 40, 46, 50, 50 and 53. General manager Roshan Basnet said the group was at the Chinese immigration checkpoint when the floods struck, after which contact with their guide was lost. He said their condition remains unconfirmed, while videos from the area suggested the situation was extremely serious.
King Charles and Queen Camilla said they were “heartbroken” by the tragedy and expressed their deepest sympathy to those affected. The UK Foreign Office said it was working closely with Nepali and Chinese authorities and had deployed consular staff to the region to support missing British nationals and their families.
The Isha Foundation said it lost contact with at least 77 pilgrims from the UK, US, Australia, Europe and Asia after they completed the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. Contact was lost on Wednesday morning as the group travelled towards Kathmandu, shortly after the foundation spoke to its leader at 9.05am. On Saturday, the foundation said there were no encouraging signs that any members had survived.
The tragedy has also raised concern among the wider Indian diaspora, with several NRI Gujaratis and other Indian pilgrims still unaccounted for. More than 60 American Gujaratis and other Indian nationals from Chicago had joined a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage organised by the tour group Himalayan Glacier.
In an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, Ritaben Rameshbhai Patel, who lives in Georgia, said she is anxiously awaiting news of six members of the Patel family who remain unaccounted for following the devastating floods along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.
Among those missing are Ritaben’s sister-in-law, Shilpaben Asheshbhai Patel, 59, her son Dr Ishan Ashesh Patel, 32, and his wife, Dr Akanksha Patel, 32, all based in Detroit. Also missing are Akanksha’s father, Umeshbhai Patel, of Richmond, Virginia, and Shilpaben’s friend Padmaben Patel, 59, and her husband, Jagdishbhai Patel, who are originally from Jalundh near Khambhat and now live in Canada.
Shilpaben, Ishan and Akanksha have family roots in Karamsad, while Shilpaben herself is from Dharmaj. The missing family members hold either American or Canadian citizenship.
Speaking with a heavy heart, Ritaben said, “Ishan is an orthopaedic surgeon and Akanksha is a psychiatrist. Both were due to begin their medical careers at a hospital in Indianapolis, near Chicago. Before starting their careers, however, they decided to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage.
“The catastrophe struck on 26 August, which was also Ishan’s birthday. After leaving Nepal that day, the group stayed at the Kailash Hotel, around one-and-a-half miles from the Tibetan immigration building that was later shown on television being destroyed.”
The whereabouts of 85 American citizens remain unknown following the floods in Nepal, according to the US State Department. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said nine American citizens had been safely evacuated and that there had so far been no reports of American fatalities.
Meanwhile, a 19-member forensic team from India has begun work in Kathmandu to assist with DNA analysis and the identification of victims.
Meanwhile, rescue operations have intensified across Nepal and the China border as teams search through mud, rocks and debris for thousands of missing people. Nepal has recorded 1,003 deaths and 3,916 missing, while China has reported 16 deaths and 546 missing.
The search has been complicated by landslides, damaged roads and destroyed infrastructure. Around 900 workers from 12 hydropower projects in Nepal are also missing, with about 500 feared trapped in tunnels.
On the Chinese side, rescuers are concentrating on the destroyed Gyirong Port, using search dogs and heavy machinery to clear debris. In Kathmandu, unidentified bodies are being temporarily buried while authorities collect DNA samples and other details for identification.
Despite the difficult conditions, Nepalese authorities said at least 11,814 people have been rescued, with helicopters helping reach communities cut off by the floods and landslides.
Communities rally to help Nepal flood victims
As the devastation from the floods in Nepal continues to unfold, communities across the UK and around the world have come together to support those affected.
From charity appeals and fundraising drives to volunteers on the ground delivering essential supplies, individuals, community groups and organisations are stepping up to assist families in need and support rescue and relief efforts.
The devastating floods and landslides in Nepal have triggered an outpouring of support from communities across the UK and around the world. Hindu organisations, charities, Nepalese businesses and volunteers have launched fundraising appeals, offered prayers and mobilised relief efforts to support victims and families affected by the disaster.
Hindu Council UK expressed deep concern over the devastation, particularly for British Hindus who were travelling on pilgrimage to Kailash and Mansarovar. The council extended its sympathies to the Nepalese community and affected families, and urged people to support Hindu Charity Foundation and Sewa UK, which have a long track record of providing humanitarian assistance during crises.
Across the UK, Nepalese-owned businesses have also stepped forward. In Falmouth, Cornwall, Sharma Hem, owner of Balti Curries, has turned his restaurant into a fundraising centre, asking customers to pay for an additional curry and planning charity lunches. Hem, who has run the restaurant since 1998, said he was encouraged by the strong support from people in Cornwall.
In south-east London, Panas Gurkha in Blackheath has raised more than £1,000 for flood victims. Owner Sujan Katuwal MBE said the disaster had deeply affected the local Nepalese community, with many people struggling to contact relatives in remote areas. The tragedy has also affected his staff personally, with one employee’s newly married cousin, a hydropower engineer, believed to have been caught in the floods.
Other businesses have joined the response, with Everest Inn in Blackheath launching an appeal for Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund to support rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Meanwhile, Maidenhead-based Khalsa Aid International is preparing teams to travel to Nepal from India, with shelter among its immediate priorities. Chief executive Ravi Singh said local communities were already distributing food and water, while supplies were also arriving from unaffected areas.
BAPS Nepal volunteers have also been providing humanitarian assistance in affected areas in coordination with local authorities. Under the guidance and blessings of Mahant Swami Maharaj, volunteers have distributed rice, lentils, cooking oil, clothes, blankets, medicines and other essential supplies. BAPS devotees and volunteers worldwide are also continuing to pray for those affected and for the recovery of communities facing the aftermath of the disaster.
