Hope and heartbreak as Nepal families hunt for hundreds missing after floods

Anxious relatives crowded hospital corridors and police stations in Kathmandu, desperately searching for hundreds of missing kin following devastating floods on the Nepal-Tibet border that killed at least 180 people. The disaster struck on August 26, unleashing a tsunami-like wall of water and mud that swept through villages and towns along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.

Subash Khatani was among those scanning lists and speaking with officials, hoping for news of his elder brother, Ram Sharan Rasaili, who is missing in the Rasuwa district, one of the first hit by the floods. "We have not heard from him since the flood," said Chitra Bahadur Nepali, searching for his nephew, Yubraj Sewak, a driver who was traveling towards the worst-affected area when contact was lost.

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My elder brother, Ram Sharan Rasaili, is among those missing in Rasuwa. That’s why we are out searching for him.

Nepali police reported recovering 177 bodies, with deaths reported across seven districts. Floodwaters surged over 160 kilometers south to Chitwan, near the Indian border. The cause of the disaster remains unclear, but the US Geological Survey suggested a glacial collapse triggered seismic activity, leading to catastrophic downstream impacts in Nepal and Tibet.

As rescue teams scoured the flood-ravaged districts for survivors, families moved between facilities, clinging to hope. Bir hospital pledged to treat all victims free of charge and stated it was fully prepared for the influx of patients. According to Nepal's disaster agency, 823 people, including 579 tourists from Nepal and abroad, remain out of contact. In Tibet, Chinese state media reported three deaths and 558 missing, including 260 foreigners.

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My nephew was on his way to Rasuwa and was in contact with my sister until about 8am yesterday. We have not heard from him since the flood.