Days following a devastating flash flood in the Timure region of Nepal, relatives of two Metro Vancouver couples are frantically seeking updates on their whereabouts. Dhaval and Megha Shah from Port Moody and Sumit and Shubakshi Rawla from Coquitlam are among 32 Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are unaccounted for since the disaster on August 26, which resulted in the loss of at least 570 lives.
Vikram Khosla disclosed that his cousin Shubakshi was on a trip to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, a revered site for various faiths, as a special 50th birthday present to herself. The Rawlas were reportedly on the verge of commencing their journey when they last communicated with a family member an hour prior to the catastrophic flood. Since then, there has been no contact with any of the missing individuals.
Expressing hope that the couples may have sought higher ground for safety, Khosla highlighted that they are Singaporean nationals who relocated to Canada approximately four years ago and are parents to two daughters. Dhaval’s brother, Kheval Shah, revealed that the couple was lodging at Hotel Kailash near the border when the calamity struck. The last communication from them was during breakfast, just moments before the flood engulfed the area, submerging the hotel completely.
Shah emphasized the necessity for the Canadian government to exert pressure on Nepal for enhanced information regarding the search and rescue efforts. Similarly, Khosla voiced frustration over the dearth of updates and mentioned that Shubakshi’s siblings have traveled to Kathmandu to navigate their way to the affected zone in pursuit of answers. He advocated for a centralized platform to provide real-time information to families of the missing individuals. As of the latest update, around 3,000 people are still unaccounted for in the aftermath of the disaster, with no Canadians among the 121 foreign nationals reported rescued by the Nepal Tourism Board.
In response to the crisis, Canada has pledged $5 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to aid Nepal, with a focus on facilitating organizations like the Red Cross in delivering support to the affected populace.
