US families hold out hope for relatives lost in Nepal floods

Mukti Patel, 27, has been holding onto hope for her missing father, sister, and in-laws since a series of devastating flash floods hit the Nepal-China border. The hotel where they were staying was swept away, leaving her with uncertainty. "I shouldn't talk in past tense yet," she admitted. "We don't know anything." As rescuers continue their efforts to pull survivors from the mud, family members of the more than 2,000 people missing in the disaster still cling to hope, however faint.

On a Zoom call, they questioned if they could reach the site and if a relative might be trapped inside an air pocket. Himalayan Glacier Adventure and Travel Company, which organized a two-week excursion with 40 guests and seven tour guides, reported all of them are now missing. About 90 Americans are among those unaccounted for, according to the US State Department.

Mukti's family was part of this group when the floods struck on Wednesday, claiming hundreds of lives and leaving over 2,000 people missing. Among the unaccounted for Americans are Mukti's father, Umesh Kumar, 56, who had long desired to make the trip to Nepal. His sister, Akanksha Patel, a psychiatrist working to reduce mental health stigma, and her husband, Ishan Patel, an orthopaedic surgeon, were also on the trek.

Ishan's mother, Shilpa Patel, 59, a Canadian citizen, was among the missing. Ishan turned 32 on Wednesday, and the family last spoke to him on his birthday. Mukti hopes more countries will aid in the rescue and recovery efforts. Another US citizen, Jiwan Jyoti, 50, was also traveling with the group and was last heard from at breakfast before the flood.

Jyoti was heading to a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, a sacred site for Hindus, Buddhists, and others. Mountain guides reported that the hotel where Jyoti was staying, where her last location on the Find My iPhone app was recorded, was destroyed. Meet, a lifelong friend, expressed growing despair that he would never see his 15-year-old friend alive again.

Vaasavi Unnava, a 31-year-old PhD student, sent a text message to her parents, both of whom were part of the same tour group, to ensure they were safe. The message never delivered. Her father, Hanumantha Rao Unnava, and mother, Vasundhara Unnava, were excitedly preparing for a retirement trip to India after hiking Mount Kailash.

They are among the numerous US citizens missing in the flood. Unnava reminisced about her father's disciplined and duty-bound nature, as well as her mother's spontaneity and playfulness. She finds comfort in knowing her parents have touched countless lives for the better.