The family of an Indian-American woman who is among more than 2,000 people missing after catastrophic floods struck Nepal and Tibet are clinging to the hope that she will be found safe and well.
Jiwan Jyoti, an engineer from Boston, had travelled to Nepal on a pilgrimage to mark her 50th birthday. She was last known to be at Hotel Kailash in Rasuwagadhi, near Nepal’s border with China, when her family lost contact with her on Wednesday.
Her husband was speaking to her by phone from the US shortly before she went missing. The call began at about 8.35am Nepal time and lasted about nine minutes.
Her phone's last known location was at the hotel, her husband told The National in Kathmandu. “After that, there is no contact,” he added.
He has travelled to Nepal from the US along with other relatives to seek updates as intense search and rescue efforts continue after a natural disaster that has left a trail of destruction.
Nepal Police said in its latest update on Saturday that 626 people are confirmed to have been killed in the disaster so far, with 1,473 injured. More than 4,000 police personnel are involved in the response.
Devoted to family
Relatives described Ms Jyoti as a working mother who spent much of her time balancing her career and family, and said her trip to Nepal had been something she wanted to do for herself as she turned 50.
She spent four days in Kathmandu, visiting Pashupatinath, local markets and other attractions, while remaining in regular contact with her family and sending them photographs of her trip.
On Tuesday, she and other members of her pilgrimage group left Kathmandu for Rasuwagadhi in Rasuwa district.
The area is close to the Nepal-China border and lies on a route used by pilgrims travelling overland towards Mount Kailash in Tibet.
“Everything has been wiped out. Even the roads, hotels, everything,” her husband said.
The National met members of the family at the Himalayan Glacier office in Thamel, where they were seeking updates on the search and rescue operation.
Ms Jyoti's husband also asked whether the family could travel towards Rasuwagadhi to assist with the search, but said they had been told not to go.
The family said the inability to reach the area themselves had left them feeling helpless and dependent on information from local authorities, the embassy and tour operators.
Despite the destruction, they believe there remains a possibility that Ms Jyoti and others in the area could have reached higher ground before the flood swept through.
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An elderly survivor is transported to a safer place in heavy machinery following flash flood and mudslide at Trishuli in Nuwakot district, Nepal. Reuters -
A flood survivor returns to home following a flash flood in Devighat Village, Nuwakot district, Nepal. EPA -
Houses lying deluged in sludge after flash floods at Devighat, Bidur Municipality, along the confluence of the Trishuli and Tadi rivers in Nepal's Nuwakot district. AFP -
A flood survivor returns to home following a flash flood in Devighat Village, Nuwakot district, Nepal. EPA -
A child, who was airlifted from Rasuwa district, receives first-aid at a mobile hospital inside the Maithali Barrack, an army training centre, which also serves as a primary base to airlift survivors following flash floods and mudslide at Trishuli in Nuwakot district, Nepal. Reuters -
A CCTV footage shows people running away as wall of mud and water destroys buildings in a valley at Nepal-China border, in Gyirong, Tibet region, China. Reuters -
Relatives of flood victims stand outside the army base where survivors are brought by helicopters following a flash flood in Devighat Village, Nuwakot district, Nepal. EPA -
A drone view shows mud covering buildings following a flash flood in Trishuli, Nuwakot district, Nepal. Reuters -
A woman searches for her belongings at a damaged shop following flash floods and a mudslide in Trishuli, Nuwakot district, Nepal. Reuters -
Army personnel walk past a helicopter landing with rescued flood-affected residents from flash floods, at an army camp in Battar Bazar town in Nepal's Nuwakot district . AFP -
Women carry belongings from their damaged homes after a flash flood and a mudslide, in Galchhi, Nepal. Reuters
Her husband said they had been told that people who saw the flood approaching may have had time to move towards the surrounding hills.
He added that searches were taking place in higher areas and that survivors who reached remote parts of the mountains may also be without mobile phone coverage.
For now, they remain in Kathmandu waiting for information.
They know the chances of finding Ms Jyoti alive become more uncertain as time passes, but without confirmation of what happened to her, the family is refusing to accept that she may be dead.
“The last thing we want is for them to give up hope,” a family member said. “For that 1 per cent hope, we don't want the officials to give up on the situation.”
