At least 33 British nationals remain missing after catastrophic flash floods tore through the Nepal-Tibet border region this week, sweeping away roads, bridges and entire towns.
Nepalese officials said on Friday that the country’s death toll had risen to at least 538, while thousands of people remain missing.
As desperate families travel to Nepal to join the search effort, details are beginning to emerge about those caught up in one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters.
Here is what we know of the missing Brits so far.
An A-level student from Surrey and his family
Spandan Sahu, 18, his father Santosh Sahu, 46, his mother Surabhi Manmath Padhy, 44, and sister Syna Kumari Sahu, 13, are among those missing.
Spandan has just finished his A-levels at Royal Grammar School, Guildford, and is preparing to study philosophy, politics and economics at university.
A spokesperson for the school said: “It is with great concern that we have been informed that a former student, along with members of his family, have been reported missing in Nepal.
“Whilst we are hoping for positive news, we do not have any further information at this time. Our thoughts, love and deepest sympathies are with all of the families and loved ones of anyone affected by this tragedy in Nepal at this incredibly difficult time.”
His father, Santosh Sahu, is the chief executive of UK pharmaceutical technology company, Charac.
Missing pilgrims
Deepesh Patel said that his parents, Bipin Patel, 66, and Mala Patel, 60, from Coventry, went missing after flying to Nepal on August 22 to make a pilgrimage to the sacred site of Mount Kailash.
He said the family last heard from the couple, who run a tutoring business, on Tuesday. Their last known location was in the Gyirong area of the Nepal-China border.
A number of those missing had been making the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, which holds sacred significance for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the Tibetan Bon tradition.
Sarada Simkhada, a senior nurse at Darent Valley Hospital in Kent, is one of them.
Her brother Shambhu wrote on social media: “My dear sister, wherever you are, please stay strong. We are praying for your safety every moment and waiting desperately for you to return home.”
Tour operator Kailash Journeys said it had not been able to account for seven UK nationals – five women and two men aged between 18 and 55, travelling with the company.
It is unclear whether the Patel’s or Ms Simkhada were part of this group.
Tourists on trekking tours
Nepalese tour operator, The Trekkers’ Society, said nine British nationals on one of its tours were among those unaccounted for – four men, aged 14, 50, 50, and 54, and five women, aged 40, 46, 50, 50, and 53.
General manager Roshan Basnet said: “When the flood happened, they were still at the Chinese immigration (at) the border.”
He added: “We have yet to get confirmation of what state they’re in, but as for the video that is circulating on the internet, we believe that it’s a pretty difficult (situation).”
Another tour operator, Alpine Eco Trek, said three British men aged 65, 64 and 52, and seven British women aged 44, 47, 51, 60, 63, 63, and 65, are missing from their group, according to travel logs.
Kumar Adhikari, manager of Alpine Eco Trek, said the tour group was crossing into Tibet from Nepal when they became trapped at the border as the flash floods struck.
He said he was in contact with his tour guides until 8.40am, when their phones went offline, at which point the group would have been inside Tibet’s immigration office.
“We were hoping that inside it was safe,” he said. “But later the video came from China’s government, which (showed) even Tibet’s side was hit by the flood.”
The manager said he was fielding “thousands” of missed calls from families in the UK.
Meanwhile, Leena Bector, a director of a care agency from Slough, west London, is among 27 travellers associated with the Fishtail Tours and Travels group currently unaccounted for.
Her husband, Bhupesh Bector, told The Times: “I know that she’s in Nepal for sure… so even if they find her today or tomorrow, I need to be there.”
Nabhi Nandan Das, a Hindu priest from south London, was leading a group on a tour to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
The Telegraph reported that the 64-year-old priest, who lives in Streatham, south London and works at the Sanatan Mandir and Community Centre in Coulsdon, Surrey, was leading tourists on the tour.
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