Our parents were crossing the border an hour before the flood hit
Authorities say more than 1,300 people are missing, including dozens of Americans and Canadians, as families await word on loved ones thought to be caught in the Nepal flash floods.
Hundreds of foreign nationals are anxiously awaiting news of loved ones who may have been caught in the deadly flash flood and mudslide along the Nepal-Tibet border. Shreya and Ashna Ahuja, sisters from Texas, are among those desperately waiting for information on their parents, Deepak and Madhu Ahuja, who had traveled to Mount Kailash on a group pilgrimage.
It has only been a day since the flood struck, but they feel it has lasted much longer. The sisters spoke to their parents just before the flood hit; nearly 2,000 people are missing, including tourists from the US, Australia, Canada, India, and the UK. Nepali authorities report over 575 fatalities.
Nearly 90 US citizens may have been impacted by the floods, with five Americans safely evacuated. The Ahuja sisters have reached out to the State Department and US embassies in Delhi, Nepal, and China for information but have no concrete details on their parents' whereabouts. The pilgrimage site is popular among Hindus and Buddhists, visited by tens of thousands each year.
Radhika Sharma, another US citizen, lost her parents, Ramesh and Neelam Sharma, both 65 and 64 years old, respectively. They were travelling to Mount Kailash in the Kathmandu region for the first time since retiring last year.
Radhika Sharma's parents were last seen at the border approximately an hour before the floods arrived. She has reached out to US embassies in Beijing and Kathmandu for assistance, but receives no answers. The disaster has also affected the Isha Foundation, a non-profit group based in India, which organized a pilgrimage of 77 people, most of whom are US citizens. Another missing person, Prabhath Sajeepa, works for a software company in California and was part of the Isha Foundation's pilgrimage.
The State Department is working closely with local tour agencies and authorities to assist affected Americans, though officials do not provide figures or additional details for privacy reasons. President Donald Trump pledged US aid and support to the Nepalese government. Canadian officials are aware of 32 Canadians and permanent residents missing, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urging Canadians in the region to register with the free Registration of Canadians Abroad service.
Initial reports suggested an earthquake may have triggered the ice avalanche, but the US Geological Survey now states the energy was generated by a landslide. The flood has caused significant damage, with roads and bridges worth over 15 billion Nepalese rupees destroyed.
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