Irish Father and Son Missing in Nepal Flash Floods

< p >A family of four Irish citizens, including two children, remains unaccounted for in Nepal following a catastrophic flash flood disaster triggered by a collapsing glacier, according to Nepal’s Department of Tourism and family statements reported by the Irish Sun and Irish Independent.< /p >

< p >The missing family members have been identified by Nepal’s Department of Tourism as Santosh Sahu, 46, his wife Surabhi Padhy, 44, and their children, 13-year-old Syna Kumari Sahu and 18-year-old Spandan Sahu, as reported by the Irish Sun. The family previously lived in Ireland before relocating to Surrey, England, where Surabhi worked as a banker and Santosh operated a business. Their son Spandan had recently completed his A-levels at the Royal Grammar School in Guildford.< /p >

< h2 >Pilgrimage Route and Disaster Timeline< /h2 >

< p >According to reporting from the Irish Sun, the family was part of a tourist group traveling with Alpine Eco Trek, a local agency offering guided tours and expeditions. The group of 18 individuals was undertaking a pilgrimage to Gosaikunda, a lake considered sacred by Hindus and Buddhists within Nepal’s Langtang National Park. The catastrophic flooding struck the Nepal-Tibet border region early Wednesday morning following a glacier collapse.< /p >

< p >Prior to the disaster, the family shared photographs documenting their journey, including an image of the tour group crossing the border and another taken at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on Tuesday. Relatives state that no contact has been established with the family since Wednesday morning.< /p >

< h2 >Rescue Operations and Regional Death Toll< /h2 >

< p >Search and rescue operations are ongoing across the Himalayan border region as emergency services attempt to locate hundreds of missing individuals. According to figures reported by the Irish Sun, the death toll from the floods and associated mudslides has exceeded 579 people, with more than 1,000 individuals still listed as missing.< /p >

< p >Muralidhar Sahu, brother of Santosh Sahu, issued an urgent appeal for information regarding the family’s whereabouts, telling the Irish Sun, “We are crying out for information. Please help us find them.”< /p >