A family of four from Surrey, including a former Mrs India UK, is among the British citizens reported missing in Nepal following a flash flood that occurred this week. Rescuers are continuing their search for survivors in the area affected by the flood along the Himalayan border between Nepal and Tibet. As of Friday morning, the death toll in Nepal has risen to 469, with over 1,500 individuals still unaccounted for.
The missing family includes Surabhi Sahu, 44, her husband Santosh, 46, their son Spandan, 18, and daughter Syna, 13. They were on an adventure trek when the flood struck. The family previously operated a technology company in London before Santosh established a pharmaceutical business. They reside in a six-bedroom house in Cobham, valued at £1.3 million.
The family had traveled to India and then to Nepal for a trek and were expected to return before the new school year. A photograph taken shortly before the flood shows the family with their tour group, which consisted mainly of British tourists, posing by their bus in the Himalayas.
The flood occurred as the group was crossing from Nepal into Tibet, coinciding with a torrent of ice, mud, and rocks that overwhelmed the Giyrong border crossing. Tour organizers have been attempting to reach the group since the disaster, but communication has been disrupted and rescue efforts are hampered by difficult terrain.
The Sahu family was on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, a site of significance for Hindus and Buddhists. Surabhi Sahu, a graduate in chemistry, had previously worked for Dell Computers and won the Mrs India UK beauty contest in 2018. Neighbors in Cobham expressed their shock at the news, describing the family as well-liked members of the community.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities warning of potential further flooding from a lake formed upstream due to the disaster. Other missing individuals include Samitra Sapkota, the wife of British man Pramod Poudel, and several others who were in the region for similar pilgrimages. Reports indicate that the flooding may have been caused by a glacier collapse that temporarily dammed a river, leading to a surge of water downstream.
The US Geological Survey has reported a magnitude 5.2 glacier collapse associated with the flooding, and scientists are investigating the causes of the disaster. While it is too early to directly link global warming to this specific event, experts note that rising temperatures may increase the likelihood of such disasters in the Himalayan region.