Flash Floods in Nepal Leave Families Desperate for News

The last time Radhika Sharma communicated with her parents, they had crossed from Nepal into Tibet. Ramesh Sharma, 65, and Neelam Sharma, 64, are U.S. citizens living in New York. They were on a religious pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, considered sacred by multiple faiths, including Hindus and Buddhists.

Shortly after their crossing on Wednesday, a severe flow of water, rock, and mud swept through the Himalayan region. Videos showed dramatic scenes of people running as debris destroyed buildings, covered vehicles, and cut off roads, power, and communication. Authorities suspect a melting glacier’s collapse caused a ground shake initially detected as a magnitude-4.4 earthquake.

A video from Mailung in Nepal’s Rasuwa region showed construction workers reacting to distant debris clouds, realizing the threat, and climbing uphill for safety. The Trishuli River area suffered major destruction due to the massive flash flood.

He shouts in Nepali: “Oh, my God, the flood is getting so big! Let’s run—run fast, guys! Oh, my God, get back quickly!”

By Thursday, officials recovered 289 bodies in Nepal and recorded three deaths in Tibet. Hundreds remain missing, with the Nepal Tourism Board reporting 644 travelers, including 65 Americans, unaccounted for.

Ramesh and Neelam were part of a seven-member group on the pilgrimage. Radhika Sharma, a North Carolina-based doctor, described the past day as agonizing. She contacted U.S. embassies in Nepal and China and American officials, but received no updates.

After seeking help on social media, she connected with people in Nepal attempting to track her parents. “I’ve given them my parents’ information, their photos,” she stated. She holds onto hope someone will spot them.

Many others share Sharma’s plight. The State Department mentioned cooperation with local authorities to locate affected U.S. citizens. Families face isolation as the flood destroyed roads and communications, making even basic information hard to obtain.

In Baidur, Nepal, Shova Shrestha, 33, waits for news on her missing husband as rescue operations continue. She watches every helicopter, hoping for his return.

Sagar Pandey, head of a tour company, assessed the disaster’s scope from a helicopter. “There are no human-made things left,” he reported. He believes survivors were rare in the devastation.

In Nuwakot, Nepal, residents cope with the aftermath as infrastructure crumbled under floodwaters. Syed Sadique, a southern India-based tour operator, anxiously awaited updates about his group, including his tour guide son.

Describing the grim scene, Sadique recounted that one of the three buses managed to escape the flood, while another plunged into a gorge.

Despite the chaos, Radhika Sharma continues her efforts to find her parents. She sent a heartfelt message, “I love you. I am looking for you. I will keep looking for you. I just hope you’re OK.” Expressing love and concern, she added, “I know that they’re probably more worried about my brother and I, because that’s their nature.”