Nepal floods: Sussex man's desperate search for missing family
A British resident from Sussex is flying to Nepal today in a desperate bid to find his wife, mother, brother and uncle, all missing after the catastrophic floods that have killed nearly 400 people and left more than a thousand unaccounted for.
Pramod Poudel, who runs a food truck business in Sussex, has been unable to reach his loved ones since flash floods tore through communities on the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday. The deluge, triggered by a glacial collapse, has swept away entire villages, with officials warning the death toll could rise further as rescue teams continue their grim search.
What happened to Pramod Poudel's family?
Mr Poudel told ITV News he has a 'sickening feeling' as he prepares to board a 14-hour flight to Kathmandu, followed by a two-hour drive to his family home, only to find that the infrastructure he once knew has been washed away.
His wife, Sumitra Sapkota, whom he married just two months ago, had been planning to join him in the UK. His mother, brother and uncle are also missing. The only family member he has managed to contact is his father, Purusottam Poudel, who lives further from the devastation.
'I'm trying to go and head there to see what's happened because there's no phone signal, I can't get hold of anyone,' Mr Poudel said.
After viewing harrowing videos of the destruction on social media, he conceded that none of the houses in his hometown remain standing.
How many people have died in the Nepal floods?
Nepal Police confirmed on Thursday evening that 389 bodies have been recovered, with 466 people injured or rescued. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) reported that 517 foreign nationals remain out of contact, including 33 British tourists.
The scale of the disaster is almost beyond comprehension. More than 1,300 people are still missing, and the Nepalese government has warned that a barrier lake formed at the confluence of the Tsogyal and Purupqiangzangbu rivers is overflowing and could burst, posing a further threat to those already devastated by the floods.
Why is the UK's Nepalese community so affected?
Britain has a long and proud connection with Nepal, forged through generations of Gurkha service to the Crown. Many in the UK's large Nepalese community now find themselves in Mr Poudel's position, desperately awaiting news of relatives and friends caught up in this tragedy.
Mr Poudel's own words capture the anguish felt by so many: 'When you hear about things, it's a bit different than when you get involved in it yourself. My family is involved in this one and this is very sad and very devastating. You don't know what to expect.'
What are the risks of further flooding?
Chinese satellite data has revealed that the river is 'blocked' and a lake has formed near the flood site. NDRRMA warned in a social media post that 'the lake is in the process of rising and there is a risk of bursting', urging residents to 'exercise special caution' and stay away from river banks.
This is a national catastrophe in the making, and one that will test the resilience of a nation already familiar with hardship. For Mr Poudel, the journey ahead is uncertain, but his resolve is clear: 'It's going to be a difficult journey ahead,' he said, as he prepared to fly into the unknown.