Nepalis cling to hope for missing, 3 days after disaster

Three days after a catastrophic flood hit Nepal, families are clinging to hope for their missing loved ones. In the wake of the disaster, which claimed at least 626 lives and left 2,426 others unaccounted for, desperate relatives have been tirelessly searching through lengthy lists of rescued individuals at the Pashupati cremation centre in Kathmandu.

In Bidur, the final town before the road to China, few names appeared on the list, leaving many, like Rishi Shrestha, increasingly doubtful. Shrestha had sought out his cousin Rajan, who was traveling toward Tibet when the floods struck, but after a day of waiting, he admitted a 99% chance he was no longer alive.

Similar despair was felt by US Geological Survey, who attributed the disaster to a glacial collapse that sent a torrent of debris downstream, submerging entire settlements in mud and rock. Despite patchy phone signals, particularly in remote areas, communication remains possible in many parts of the region.

Kalka Sharda, whose 18-year-old son Vinod, a laborer at the Upper Trishuli hydropower plant, is missing, remains hopeful. He stated that if his son were still alive, he would have found a way to contact him. Similarly, Pasang Sherpa, who has been waiting outside the military camp for three days, expressed her resignation, noting that it is increasingly unlikely her brother Chiring Tamang, a truck driver who was returning home from China, is still alive.

However, Sherpa emphasized that they should at least receive his remains for a semblance of closure, as her parents are crying and waiting for their son at home. Dil Tamang, whose father crossed the China border that morning to go to the market, also clings to hope. He has seen his father's name on a list of purported survivors, but is waiting for confirmation before he can speak to him.