Family's Anguish: 'Marco Was in Nepal But We Have No News'

The family of Marco Ratto, a 50-year-old Italian jeweler from Rapallo, is experiencing profound distress and uncertainty following flash floods in Nepal that have left 644 people missing. Ratto was reportedly in the region between Tibet and Nepal when the disaster occurred on Wednesday morning, sweeping away people along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers.

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We are stunned and speechless. We are in contact with the Farnesina but at the moment we have no news. Marco was in that area.

His family, who are in constant contact with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina), confirmed that Marco's name appears on the list of the missing. The news has sent shockwaves through the community of Rapallo, where Ratto is a well-regarded figure and his family has owned a historic watch and jewelry shop for generations. He is described as an athletic, dynamic individual with a passion for adventure.

Ratto had chosen Nepal as a destination for a solo trip, with friends expecting him for trekking. He had previously postponed the journey due to a minor injury but was determined to undertake the adventure. His current situation has left his friends and family in a state of anxious waiting, with the silence amplifying their anguish.

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We are stunned, we know nothing and are waiting for information.

Local authorities, including the metropolitan mayor Silvia Salis and the mayor of Rapallo Elisabetta Ricci, are actively monitoring the situation and are in communication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Farnesina's crisis unit is reportedly working diligently to gather information. The community of Rapallo stands in solidarity with Ratto's family during this difficult time, awaiting any news of his fate.

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I am following with deep apprehension the news coming from Nepal regarding our fellow citizen who has not been heard from following the devastating floods that have hit the area. I am in constant and direct contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Farnesina's Crisis Unit, who have immediately activated and are monitoring the situation minute by minute to gather any useful information. We are close to Marco's family in these long hours of great anxiety and waiting.