HOPE was fading last night for more than 1,500 people still missing after the monster flash floods that scythed through the Nepal-Tibet border.
Fears are also rising of a second tsunami as huge amounts of water flow into two new lakes formed by debris from the first disaster creating an unstable dam.
Fears are growing of a second deadly flood in Nepal Credit: https://x.com/surajit_ghosh2
Sniffer dog helps find the thousands missing Credit: AFP
More than 900 tourists — including 33 Britons — remained among the grim toll of the missing as a travel chief warned of a “one per cent” chance of finding any more survivors.
Eleven of the Britons — including a girl of 13 — were in a group that crossed into Tibet just as the wall of water hit.
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Ram Kumar Adhikari, of Alpine Eco Trek, last heard from them at 8.40am at immigration on the Gyirong border. The others are three men aged 52 to 65, and seven women aged 44 to 65.
Mr Adhikari said: “There is no internet access on the Chinese side, so we had no reason to be immediately concerned. Then we received news of the massive flood.
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“Authorities later released video showing a huge surge of water sweeping away the Chinese immigration building. You can see people running, some could be members of our group.”
Another pilgrimage trekking group, Kailash Journeys, has lost contact with seven UK nationals — five women and two men aged 18 to 55 — who were also near immigration at the time.
Two more Britons, with Himalayan Glacier Group, are also missing. A 14-year-old British boy is also unaccounted for.
Distraught families in the UK were last night still in the dark, more than 24 hours after the flood of mud, water and debris tore along the Lende Khola river into the Bhote Koshi river, 100 miles north of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu.
House sized boulder being shoved down flood path shows strength of torrents Credit: X / @KaptanHindustan
Social media videos circulating reveal the extent of the floods Credit: https://x.com/surajit_ghosh2
The husband of missing Leena Bector, 53, frantically checked her online location after hearing of the disaster and realised she had not moved for seven hours.
Mobile phone data puts care agency boss Leena, from Slough, Berks, around an hour’s travel away from the now washed-away “Friendship Bridge”, which she was supposed to visit.
Bhupesh, who booked the next available flight to Nepal to search for his wife of 30 years, told The Times: “I want to go to Kathmandu now. I know she’s in Nepal for sure. So even if they find her today or tomorrow, I need to be there.”
British nurse Sarada Simkhada, from Dartford, Kent, is also missing. She moved to the UK 20 years ago and is a senior nurse at the town’s Darent Valley Hospital.
The British Hindu was on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in nearby Tibet — said to be the cosmic home of Lord Shiva.
Her brother Shambu wrote on social media: “May God protect you and guide the rescue team to find you safely.”
Fellow Hindu Nabhi Das from Streatham in South London was close to where the flood hit and has not been heard from since.
Originally from Kenya, the Kent University graduate works in finance and has travelled in the region before.
Jattvibeil Amin last heard from his wife Hema on Monday after she travelled to Nepal with her sister on a pilgrimage to Gosainkunda lake.
Mr Amin, of Croydon, South London, said her phone rings but is not answered.
He said: “I keep trying to call her. I have a horrible, horrible feeling. We hope it’s good news, but don’t know exactly what happened to them. I’m devastated.”
Pramod Poudel, from Uckfield, East Sussex, said he was also flying to Nepal last night after failing to contact his wife Sumitra, mother, brother and uncle.
Swamped houses surrounded by sludge at Devighat Credit: AFP
Rescuers help man battered by the mud slides Credit: AFP
The husband of missing Leena Bector, 53, was frantically checking her online location after hearing of the disaster only to find she had not moved for seven hours Credit: walfinch.com/windsor-maidenhead
He said: “There is no proper communication so I can’t communicate with them. I guess there is no power so they can’t charge their phones — it’s a very hard and difficult time at the moment.
“Where my home town used to be, where my family used to live — my mum, dad, wife — there’s nothing there.”
At least 389 victims are confirmed dead after the 50ft high wall of water, mud and stone hit their homes and wiped them out.
The grim toll is likely to rocket as whole communities were swept away down the river valley in Rasuwa.
Disaster experts said the 20 million cubic metres flood was triggered when an iceberg-sized chunk of glacier broke off.
They fear a second flood could strike if the dam of debris that has formed a lake breaks.
Chinese officials said the landslide dam, where the Tsogyal and Purupqiangzangbu rivers meet, has a “high risk of breaching” within 48 hours.
It was estimated the newly formed lake had grown to two million cubic metres of water yesterday, with three million — the equivalent to more than 1,000 Olympic swimming pools — expected to rapidly add to it.
Last night authorities were desperately evacuating towns and villages downstream while frantic searches for survivors continued.
Nabhi Das from Streatham in south London was close to where the flood hit and has not been heard from since Credit: Facebook Nabi Nandan Das
British nurse Sarada Simkhada from Dartford, Kent, is also missing Credit: Facebook / Sarada Simkhada
Nepalese army teams airlifted hundreds out of the Rasuwa district and more than two dozen tourists were brought to safety on Thursday.
Ruined communication infrastructure is hampering attempts to confirm victims’ identities.
The King and Camilla “are heartbroken to hear of the devastating flooding” and Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged £5million aid to support rescue and recovery work there yesterday.
