Days following a devastating flash flood in the Timure area of Nepal, relatives of two Metro Vancouver couples are anxiously seeking any information on their whereabouts. The missing couples, Dhaval and Megha Shah from Port Moody and Sumit and Shubakshi Rawla from Coquitlam, are part of a large group of individuals unaccounted for after the tragic event that claimed the lives of at least 676 people.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand disclosed on Saturday that out of the 32 Canadians reported missing in Nepal, one has been located safely, although their identity remains undisclosed. Vikram Khosla revealed that his cousin Shubakshi was embarking on a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, marking her 50th birthday with this spiritual journey. The couple had almost set off on their expedition when they last communicated with a family member just an hour before the flood hit.
Expressing hope that the missing couples may have sought refuge and are safe, Khosla emphasized the urgency of finding them. Dhaval’s brother, Kheval Shah, based in Mumbai, shared that the Shahs were staying at Hotel Kailash near the border at the time of the disaster. The family’s last contact with them was during breakfast, shortly before the flooding occurred, causing the hotel to be submerged entirely.
In efforts to aid Nepal, Canada has pledged $5 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to support relief organizations like the Red Cross in delivering aid to affected individuals. Despite these initiatives, Shah and Khosla have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of information and updates on the ongoing search efforts. Khosla mentioned that Shubakshi’s siblings have traveled to Kathmandu to reach the disaster area and seek answers, stressing the importance of establishing a centralized platform for families to receive real-time information.
While over 3,700 individuals have been rescued as of Saturday afternoon, a staggering 2,426 people are still missing, underscoring the urgency and complexity of the search and rescue operations in the aftermath of the catastrophic flood.
