NEW DELHI: An NRI couple from Vadodara has gone missing after devastating flash floods hit Nepal, prompting their family to appeal to the Indian government to step up rescue efforts.Kinnari Patel and her husband, Mihir Patel, had travelled to Kathmandu from New Zealand and later set out for Kailash Dham on 21 August, her brother Chirag Patel said.The couple have lived in New Zealand for about 30 years and had made their travel bookings independently, he said.“My sister, Kinnari Patel, and her husband, Mihir Patel, had travelled directly to Kathmandu from New Zealand. They are NRIs based in New Zealand, where they have lived for 30 years, and they had made their bookings directly.We spoke to the hotel staff in Kathmandu; they informed us that the couple had stayed there for three days, checked out, and were now unreachable,” he told reporters on Friday.Chirag Patel said the family had been assured of help by both the Indian and Nepalese authorities.“We have received cooperation from both the Nepalese and Indian administrations; full cooperation is currently underway. They have gathered all the details and assured me that they will contact us as soon as there is an update,” he said.
Couple had planned Kailash visit
Kinnari had planned to return to India for Raksha Bandhan after visiting Kailash Dham, her brother said.“My sister had said she was coming for Raksha Bandhan but intended to visit Kailash Dham first; she planned to go to Kailash and then return to India. They set out for Kailash on August 21,” he said.The family has urged the government to deploy more resources to locate the couple.“The government has promised to try and resolve the situation as soon as possible. There is only one appeal to the government: deploy the maximum number of helicopters, send in the Army in full force, and take action there as early as possible,” he said.Union minister Nimuben Bambhaniya said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was concerned about the situation and had assured support to Nepal.“Our Prime Minister has expressed deep concern and is extending support…under the leadership of PM Modi, whenever a neighbour faces adversity, India stands firmly by their side during these difficult times, dispatching essential medicines and relief supplies,” she told reporters.
469 dead in Nepal floods
The couple went missing as Nepal continued to deal with the aftermath of devastating flash floods and mudslides.The death toll from the floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa district rose to 469 on Friday, while 1,545 people had been injured and rescued, Nepal Police said.Chitwan recorded the highest number of deaths, with 178 bodies recovered, followed by 110 in NP East, 44 in Gorkha, 37 in Nuwakot, 33 in Dhading, 28 in Tanahun, 27 in NP West and 12 in Rasuwa.Authorities have rescued 644 people from Rasuwa, 898 from Nuwakot and three from Dhading.Twenty-eight police personnel remain missing, while Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 977 people were missing as of Thursday.Nepal Police has deployed 4,348 personnel for rescue operations.The catastrophic flash floods struck the Tibet-Nepal border on 26 August, causing widespread destruction and leaving hundreds of people missing.The Nepalese government has released NPR 25 million in cash for relief efforts, including NPR 10 million each for Rasuwa and Nuwakot and NPR 5 million for Dhading.The United States and the World Health Organization have also offered assistance. Washington has announced $500,000 in aid, while the WHO has sent emergency medical supplies.Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs established an Emergency Control Room on Thursday to coordinate assistance for foreign nationals affected by the Bhotekoshi flash floods in Rasuwa district.The floods have caused extensive damage to infrastructure and led to a large number of deaths and reports of missing people.
