‘We just want them to return’: relatives of Australians missing in Nepal floods wait anxiously
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
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- Relatives of four Australians, including two young boys, missing after flash floods in Nepal express worry but maintain hope for their safe return.
- The family was on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash when the disaster struck, leaving them among nearly 400 confirmed dead and about 1,400 people unaccounted for.
- Families are seeking clear information on search efforts and are concerned about the lack of communication, while also highlighting the shared experience of other Australian groups affected by the floods.
Vaishnavi, the younger sister of Shylaja Muralitharan, expressed the deep anxiety and unwavering hope of her family as they await news of her sister, brother-in-law Chandrasekaran, and their two sons, Ashwin, 14, and Aarush, 11. The family of four from Sydney were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash when flash floods swept through Nepal on Wednesday morning.
Just like everyone else that’s part of that group, we’re really worried, but hopeful.
"Hopeful that they’re safe and just waiting to be rescued," Vaishnavi told The Guardian, her voice strained with emotion. "It’s a very difficult time for our whole family… I just want to make people aware that they’re there, and we’re waiting, and we just want them to return." The Muralitharans are among 39 Australians identified as missing. The devastating floods have claimed nearly 400 lives, with approximately 1,400 people, predominantly tourists, still unaccounted for.
Vaishnavi confirmed that the family was traveling with other members of their Sydney community for the Hindu pilgrimage. They had been training together for the arduous trek, a journey they had planned and prepared for over an extended period. "We just didn’t expect anything like this," she said, reflecting the shock and disbelief felt by many.
Hopeful that they’re safe and just waiting to be rescued.
Concerns are mounting over the clarity and pace of information regarding the search operations. Vaishnavi has been in contact with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade but stated, "We do want to know what efforts are being made… we’re not aware of what is actually happening there." This sentiment is shared by other families of missing Australians, including Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52, and his wife Chitra Venkatraman, 46, who were also part of the 15-strong group from Himalayan Glacier Adventures. The cricket club of brothers Rishab, 23, and Rudhra Iyer, also among the missing, issued a statement expressing their hope and thoughts for the affected families.
It’s a very difficult time for our whole family … I just want to make people aware that they’re there, and we’re waiting, and we just want them to return.
Multiple Australian groups were trekking in the region with different tour operators, including Trekkers Society and Kailash Journeys. The majority of the missing Australians are understood to be from New South Wales, underscoring the profound impact this tragedy has had on the Sydney community. As the search continues, families remain in a state of anxious anticipation, clinging to the hope of a safe reunion.
We do want to know what efforts are being made … we’re not aware of what is actually happening there.
About this summary
Originally published by The Guardian 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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