Search for Missing U.S. Citizens Amid Nepal Floods

Radhika Sharma last heard from her parents when they crossed from Nepal into Tibet. Ramesh Sharma, 65, and Neelam Sharma, 64, U.S. citizens from New York, were on a religious trip to Mount Kailash, a sacred site for Hindus, Buddhists, and others. After they crossed the border, a massive flood of water, rock, and mud devastated the Himalayan region.

Videos showed the destruction, with people fleeing as debris engulfed buildings and vehicles, cutting off roads, power, and communications. The flood, likely caused by a glacier collapse, shook the ground, registering as a magnitude-4.4 earthquake.

In one video from Nepal’s Rasuwa region, workers on a mountain path saw debris cascading toward them. They fled uphill, one stopping to film before realizing the danger. The devastation along Nepal’s Trishuli River was severe following the flash flood.

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

By Thursday, authorities recovered 289 bodies in Nepal and confirmed three deaths in Tibet. Hundreds are missing, including 644 travelers. Among them were 65 Americans. Sharma’s parents were part of a group traveling to Mount Kailash, visited yearly by tens of thousands. “It has probably been the worst 24 hours of my life,” Sharma, a North Carolina doctor, shared.

Not knowing the status of her parents was the hardest part. She reached out to U.S. embassies and officials. “I haven’t heard anything back,” she said, though she’s linked with people in Nepal trying to assist in finding her parents.

The State Department stated it’s working with local authorities to locate U.S. citizens in the affected areas. It urged concerned relatives to use its emergency contact line. Even before the disaster, travel and communication were tough in the remote, mountainous region. The flood worsened these conditions, destroying roads and knocking out power and phone networks.

In Baidur, Nepal, Shova Shrestha, 33, awaited news of her missing husband, as rescue efforts continued. “I keep looking at each helicopter, hoping he will step out of it,” she said. Sagar Pandey, CEO of a tour company, surveyed the devastation from a helicopter. “There are no human-made things, no human settlements left. Everything is just flat,” he reported.

Syed Sadique runs a tour agency in southern India. He is waiting for news on 57 people, including his son, traveling in Nepal. “The group was traveling on three buses,” Sadique explained. “One bus with about 20 people made it safely, but another bus plunged into a gorge.”

In her desperate search, Sharma remains hopeful. She messaged her parents, “I love you. I am looking for you. I will keep looking for you. I just hope you’re OK.” She believes her parents are more worried about their children than themselves.