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“No matter how far away she is, I will bring her home”: Husband searches for wife missing in Nepal disaster

From CNA · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Ongoing story
  • Guan Daoxuan said he lost contact with his wife, Li Lisha, after flash floods and landslides struck communities near Nepal’s border with Tibet.
  • Li, 37, worked on a highway project near the Gyirong border checkpoint, where a video showed floodwaters eroding the worksite and destroying a workers’ camp.
  • Guan has searched six hospitals and shelters in Kathmandu, while about 100 Chinese nationals remain unaccounted for on the Nepali side of the border.

The last conversation between Guan Daoxuan and his wife was an ordinary exchange at home. The next day, after flash floods and landslides struck communities along the Nepal-Tibet border, his calls to her went unanswered.

We were just talking about ordinary things at home. But the next day, after I learned about the mudslide, I tried contacting her again. There was no response.

· Guan DaoxuanGuan recalled his final conversation with his wife and the failed attempts to reach her afterward.

Guan’s wife, 37-year-old Chinese national Li Lisha, was working on a highway project near Nepal’s Gyirong border checkpoint when the disaster hit. Gyirong forms part of a Belt and Road corridor linking China and Nepal, and several Chinese infrastructure projects operate in the area. Many of those still missing worked at these sites.

Guan initially believed the project might have escaped the worst of the flooding because it stood on relatively high ground. But repeated unanswered calls convinced him “something was seriously wrong.” He first travelled from Tibet toward Gyirong, flying to Shigatse and continuing by road, but the route had been cut off. He then flew to Nepal and has remained in contact with the Chinese embassy.

something was seriously wrong

· Guan DaoxuanGuan described what he concluded after his calls to Li went unanswered.

Since arriving in Kathmandu, Guan has searched six hospitals and shelters. He has found no sign of Li. He also tried to protect their nine-year-old son and Li’s parents from the full reality of the disaster, telling them only that he had urgent business and that Chinese rescue efforts were progressing smoothly.

I didn't tell them what I was going to do. I just said I had something urgent to attend to.

· Guan DaoxuanHe explained how he initially concealed his search from his son and his wife’s parents.

That became harder after Guan obtained a video of Li’s workplace. It showed the river changing course, eroding part of the project site and destroying the workers’ camp. “From this video, we have a bad feeling. But as family members, we still need answers to account to the family,” he said. Guan has also been helping relatives of Li’s missing colleagues, as families wait for news of thousands still unaccounted for after the disaster.

From this video, we have a bad feeling. But as family members, we still need answers to account to the family.

· Guan DaoxuanGuan described the video showing flood damage at his wife’s worksite and the family’s need for information.
About this summary

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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