‘There is still no answer’: Nepali expat in Sharjah awaits news of missing friend in devastating floods

Dubai: When devastating floods struck Nepal on August 26, Nepali expatriate Dipesh Poudel initially did not realise the scale of the disaster. (Have you been affected by the floods in Nepal? Write to us here and tell us your story.)

According to him, floods and landslides have been common in Nepal during this time of the year, and Poudel, 36, was more concerned about the safety of his family in his hometown of Bardaghat, Nawalparasi, in western Nepal.

Fortunately, his hometown is located in a plain area and is far from the river that has been affected by the flooding.

Poudel, who has resided in Sharjah since 2020 and works as a property valuer in Dubai, has noted that the incident happened at around 8.30am to 9am Nepal time, around 7am in the UAE.

“Initially, I haven't thought that this was this huge. However, as time passed, the devasting flood videos were all around social media. I was a bit relieved that my immediate family members are safe but seeing those videos, I was still in shock,” Poudel told Gulf News.

Later that night, Poudel has received news that left him deeply worried, his close friend, Pemba Sherpa, was missing.

Sherpa has lived in Dubai for almost 15 years before returning to Nepal last year. He is a father to a daughter who is around one and a half years old.

At the time of the floods, Sherpa has been helping his brother operate a tour to Mansarovar in Tibet, China. He has been travelling with a group of 27 people which included 17 Malaysians, two UK nationals, and one US national, along with seven support staff from Nepal.

Sherpa has spoken with his family on the morning of August 26.

“He had informed that they were heading towards the border. After that, no more communication and all of them went missing,” shared Poudel.

Poudel has bared that the group was at the border area where the main damage occurred at the time. So far, none of the people in the group have been traced.

“There is still no answer of their whereabouts. The travel company has informed that they are working closely with the government of Nepal to locate them,” exclaimed Poudel.

For him and those close to Sherpa, the uncertainty has been particularly difficult as they wait for information.

Meanwhile, Poudel highlighted that the Nepalese government has been involved in rescue efforts, but the scale of the disaster made the operation challenging.

“The rescue efforts have been made from the government. However, as this incident was huge and out of what we have imagined, it seems like it may take a few more days to come to a conclusion,” stated Poudel.

The families have been continuing to wait for further updates about the missing group.

As rescue and relief efforts continue, Poudel mentioned that support has been coming from around the world. Nepali expats have been sending money towards relief funds, while different countries are also providing assistance.

Poudel has also expressed his gratitude to the UAE government for providing relief aid to people affected by the disaster.

“I would like to thank the government of UAE for the relief aid provided to our loved ones back in Nepal. In my knowledge, this is the highest relief package provided by any government to Nepal so far,” said Poudel.

For him, the broader relief effort has remained intertwined with the hope that his friend Sherpa and the other members of the group will be found.