Families descend on Nepal in search of missing tourists

Kathmandu, Nepal: Families of missing tourists are desperately searching for clues to locate their loved ones following catastrophic floods that devastated Nepal's Himalayan border region a week ago. Desperate to find their missing relatives, families are registering information with police personnel to provide blood samples for DNA testing.

Sanjeev Rai, a 53-year-old American, flew to Nepal after learning his wife, Jiwan Jyoti, was untraceable while returning from a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. Jyoti, an engineer at Intel, embarked on the journey as a spiritual quest and birthday adventure. Rai feels desperate, with hope dwindling as days pass. The August 26 flood has become one of the deadliest disasters to hit Nepal in recent years, killing over 1,200 people and leaving more than 4,750 missing, both in Nepal and China's Tibet region.

Among the unaccounted for are 583 foreigners, many pilgrims preparing for the demanding trek around Mount Kailash. The Nepal police are collecting DNA samples from relatives to help identify bodies, while families can submit samples in their home countries.