Nepal floods: Four-member Australian Malayali family among missing

A family of four, hailing from Ponnani in Kerala, India, are among the missing after torrential floods and flash floods ravaged Nepal. Sreedharan Iyer, aged 54, his wife Lakshmi Iyer, 49, and their sons Rishab, 23, and Rudra, 20, were on a pilgrimage to the sacred site of Manasarovar when they lost contact with their relatives. Originally from Eeshwar Niwas, the family had been residing in Sydney for a few years.

They arrived at Kathmandu airport on August 21, prior to venturing to Rasuwa, one of the regions severely impacted by the catastrophe. Their last known communication with their family in Kerala was from the aforementioned location. Dejected relatives from Ponnani have joined the search efforts to locate the family.

Ponnani MLA K P Noushad Ali suggested that the family may have fled to a safer spot before the floods struck. The hotel they were staying at remains intact, while there are clues they checked out following a warning about the impending disaster and possibly headed towards Kathmandu. This calamity has cost at least 626 lives in Nepal and seven in Tibet, leaving nearly 2,500 people missing.

Over 93,000 individuals have been affected, with rescue teams persisting in their operations in areas rendered inaccessible due to damaged infrastructure like roads, bridges, and communication networks.

The Australian High Commission is coordinating with local authorities, considering the family's Australian citizenship, to aid in the ongoing search. Thirty-four Australians are also among the missing in the Nepal flash floods, as confirmed by Prime Minister Albanese. The question remains: who are the missing individuals in the Nepal-Tibet flash floods?