Safe return of solo Malaysian after 37 days in Nepal floods offers hope to 54 still missing

On October 2, Malaysia's Solidarity: Families in Hope (MASFIH) confirmed that one of the 55 Malaysians reported missing following floods and landslides in Nepal has been safely returned to the country. MASFIH spokesman Dr Manivannan Rethinam revealed the individual traveled alone to the Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu and departed for Malaysia, arriving this morning. The Foreign Ministry shared this news through the 'KLN-NOK' WhatsApp group for the next-of-kin, though the man's name remains undisclosed.

Dr Rethinam noted that this individual was the only solo traveler among the original 55 Malaysians reported missing, and was last seen at Nagthali Viewpoint at 3:26 pm on August 25, a day before the natural disasters. Nagthali Viewpoint is situated at a higher elevation than the affected Rasuwagadhi area, making communication and transportation challenging due to destroyed roads and bridges, along with the lack of electricity, clean water, and telecommunications access.

This development offers hope that the remaining 54 Malaysians, who are still unaccounted for, may also be safe but stranded due to damaged infrastructure and disrupted communication facilities. Dr Rethinam emphasized that the safe return of this one Malaysian is not just a reduction in the missing count from 55 to 54, but a significant step toward reuniting families, as all 54 individuals had traveled in separate groups.

He expressed hope that this positive news will continue to inspire optimism for the families searching for their loved ones. The August 26 floods and debris flows, caused by glacial ice and rock collapses in Tibet's upper catchment area, resulted in over 1,450 deaths and left thousands more missing.