Nepal flood survivor contacted family nine days after disaster, says Masfih
GEORGE TOWN: A Malaysian trekker who returned home safely after Nepal’s devastating floods had re-established contact with his family nine days after the disaster, Malaysia Solidarity Families in Hope (Masfih) said.
A Malaysian trekker, Low, safely returned home to Malaysia nine days after Nepal's devastating floods, according to Masfih. Dr. Manivannan Rethinam, Masfih's coordinator and spokesperson, confirmed that Low reached out to his family on September 3 after arriving in Tipling, where he discovered electricity and internet access. He informed his family that he was safe and on his way to Kathmandu.
The previously reported five-day gap between the disaster on August 26 and Low's safe confirmation on October 1, clarified Dr. Rethinam, actually represented the time between the disaster and Low's safe return, not the length of his absence from his family. Low arrived in Kathmandu on September 11 and started a second trek to the Langtang Valley on September 13.
He was stranded in a guest house in Gosaikunda for three days due to a snowstorm before returning to Kathmandu on September 29. Despite Low's safe return, Masfih emphasized that 54 Malaysian nationals remain unaccounted for. Their last known communications and reported locations suggest they were in or near flood-affected areas along the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border, Timure, and Syabrubesi, as well as the downstream Bhote Koshi-Trishuli river corridor.
Nepal's search-and-rescue operations concluded on September 30. Masfian urged Malaysian, Nepalese, and Chinese authorities to continue recovery efforts, expedite DNA matching, and provide families with regular updates. He also questioned why DNA samples were collected after Low contacted his family and sought clarification on a potential change in Nepalese law regarding the waiting period for declaring missing persons dead in disaster-related cases.
Masfih is set to meet Bank Negara Malaysia to discuss financial assistance for affected families and has reiterated calls for meetings with the Attorney-General's Chambers and the prime minister. Masfian stressed that every family deserves answers, and every missing person deserves to be accounted for, urging authorities to maintain their efforts until the fate of the missing Malaysians is established.
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Also reported by 1 other outlet
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