Pramod Poudel, who lives in Uckfield in East Sussex, is travelling to Nepal to search for his wife, parents, brother and uncle after they went missing when catastrophic flash floods devastated the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday. The disaster has left hundreds unaccounted for across both countries, with rescue operations continuing as authorities work to locate survivors and identify the missing.
Poudel, who runs a Nepalese food truck, has had no contact with his family since the flooding struck. He described the situation as devastating, saying that
"It's a very, very difficult time for me and for my family and my country at this moment, but obviously I have to go and see what's happening there."Speaking to a local broadcaster, he explained that
"my family needs me."
The scale of the disaster has grown as authorities compile missing persons reports. According to , Nepal police had recovered 157 bodies by late Wednesday, while officials reported more than 400 tourists missing, including around 340 foreigners. The Nepal Tourism Board said 384 travellers were reported missing in affected areas, comprising 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali nationals. Later updates indicated the figure had risen further, with the Tourism Board reporting 644 tourists unaccounted for, including approximately 178 Indian tourists.
The disaster crossed international borders. China's state broadcaster reported 558 people missing in Tibet after mudslides linked to a glacial collapse, with three deaths reported there. Overall, nearly 1,500 people are unaccounted for across China and Nepal, including about 750 foreigners.
What caused the floods?
The US Geological Survey determined that glacial collapse and debris flow triggered the catastrophic flooding. The collapse sent massive volumes of water and debris down a Himalayan river on the Nepal-China border, destroying villages, infrastructure and critical trading routes. Verified video coverage showed floodwaters sweeping through towns and destroying bridges across the border region.
What is the situation on the ground?
Poudel painted a stark picture of conditions in the affected area. He said
"nothing remains"where his family lives. He described the communication breakdown, explaining that
"Nobody knows what happened. Obviously a lot of people are missing and there is no information regarding who is missing, where they are, nobody can contact each other and all the bridges are broken, so you can't cross the land. There's no power, no electricity, so I can't contact anyone, so it's a very difficult time not knowing what's happening."
Rescuers have been conducting extensive search and recovery operations following the massive flash flood and landslide that destroyed homes and roads across the region. There are concerns that debris accumulating in rivers could trigger a second flood, adding to the dangers facing rescue teams and survivors.
Who is missing?
The missing include nationals from 28 countries. According to , 165 bodies had been recovered in Nepal, with missing foreigners including 177 Indians, 63 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 34 Australians, 33 British nationals, 28 Malaysians and 25 Canadians. The scale of the disaster has made identifying and locating missing people extremely challenging, particularly given the destruction of communication infrastructure and the remote nature of the affected region.
What happens next?
Rescue operations are continuing as authorities search for survivors and work to verify the identities and whereabouts of missing people. Chinese state media reported that the missing count in Tibet remains under active review as emergency efforts continue. The death toll is expected to rise sharply as recovery work progresses and more bodies are recovered from the affected areas.
Poudel's journey to Nepal reflects the personal toll the disaster has taken on families separated by distance. His determination to reach his family underscores the urgency felt by many relatives of those unaccounted for in what has become one of the region's most devastating natural disasters in recent years.
