Nepal floods: Agonising wait for families of missing loved ones
Families of Malaysian citizens are struggling to contact loved ones who went missing during flash floods in Nepal. The missing individuals include tourists on a pilgrimage and two Fire and Rescue Department officers trekking near the Tibetan route.
Why it matters
Highlights the human impact of the Nepal disaster and the difficulties in coordinating rescue and communication for international travelers.
PETALING JAYA: For some Malaysians, the wait for a simple “I’m safe” message has become agonising as they struggle to contact loved ones caught in the devastating floods in Nepal.
R. Logadarrsiny, who works in marketing, said four of her family members – her father S. Raman, 59, mother M. Neelavany, 54, uncle S. Murukan, 60, and aunt G. Padmahwathi, 58 – were among 17 Malaysians in a group organised by Nepal-based Fishtail Tours & Travels.
“I am very worried as it has been more than 24 hours since we last heard from them,” she said when contacted yesterday.
She said the group arrived in Nepal on Aug 23 and was scheduled to continue its pilgrimage until Sept 5.
The last direct communication with the group was at 8.18am Nepal time on Wednesday (10.33am Malaysian time), when they reportedly were about 2km from the Nepal-Tibet immigration checkpoint.
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