Nepali and Tibetan communities fear for relatives caught in flood

Tibetan and Nepali Australians are worried about relatives caught in the devastating flood that struck the Nepal-Tibet border. At least 160 people were killed and hundreds more, including 34 Australians, are missing after a massive wave destroyed villages. It is believed a glacier avalanche caused the flood. Tashi, a 51-year-old Tibetan resident of Melbourne for 13 years, expressed concern for her nephew's wife and child, who were missing after the disaster.

The phone connection was not working to confirm their whereabouts. Tashi said several villages, schools, and popular tourism sites were affected, and communication through platforms like WeChat was intermittent due to Chinese monitoring. Tenzin Khangsar, co-chair of the Australia Tibet Council, expressed deep concern for the affected Tibetan community.

Melbourne University student Tulsi Ram Gompo shared his grief over his destroyed home and farm in Nepal. Gompo recounted how many people in his district were either swept away or trapped in their homes during the mudslide. Sujan Tamang from the village of Goljung expressed worry for his family and friends who were still missing.

The lack of communication, power, and network connectivity made it difficult for people to connect with their loved ones. Nepali and Australian communities rallied together to support the affected individuals, raising funds and donating resources.