Five New Zealanders remain missing following a deadly flash flood that struck the Nepal-China border region, triggering search efforts. According to reports from Radio New Zealand (RNZ), the disaster unfolded on Wednesday morning when heavy rains caused severe flooding and landslides across the mountainous terrain.
Missing New Zealanders Identified in Border Flooding
Family sources have identified the missing New Zealanders as Shweta Mhatre, Dejan Kuzmic, Mihir Patel, Kinnari Patel, and Suhasini Reddy. According to RNZ, a list of rescued foreign travelers released by the Nepal Tourism Board late Friday did not identify any of the five, though the nationalities of three among 121 rescued individuals remained unconfirmed at the time.
Auckland resident Shweta Mhatre was visiting Nepal on a pilgrimage, according to close friends cited by RNZ. Mhatre was reportedly participating in the Isha Foundation’s Sacred Walks pilgrimage. The Isha Foundation stated that Mhatre’s emergency contacts had been notified, and organization founder Sadhguru posted a social media video confirming two participants from their group were missing.
Dejan Kuzmic, who came to New Zealand from Bosnia and Herzegovina as a refugee at age 10, was also part of the Isha Foundation pilgrimage group, according to RNZ. Nepal’s Tourist Police confirmed Kuzmic’s status to RNZ on Thursday morning, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has opened a consular case for him.
Hamilton Couple and Mother of Two Among Missing
Hamilton business owners Mihir Patel and Kinnari Patel were visiting Nepal to celebrate Kinnari’s birthday when the disaster struck. Their eldest son, Drishya Patel, told RNZ that his mother had messaged him via WhatsApp at approximately 5:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday to say they were leaving their location. The flash flood began around 8:40 a.m. local time, and the couple has not been heard from since.
Suhasini Reddy, a mother of two living in the region for the past four years, was hiking with a group of Australian friends in the Dhunche area heading toward the Nepal-China border, according to her brother, Rajeev Reddy. Her brother told RNZ that she was scheduled to meet Chinese immigration officials around 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Dinesh Khadka, former honorary consul of Nepal to New Zealand, stated that the immigration checkpoint was completely swept away by the floodwaters.
Rescue Operations and Humanitarian Assistance
Rescue teams are working to locate missing individuals as the death toll climbs from the devastating floods affecting both China and Nepal. Officials have intensified efforts to reach hundreds of people believed trapped inside hydropower tunnels in the region. Lake overflows along the border have sparked widespread panic and temporarily hindered ground rescue operations.
In response to the catastrophe, the New Zealand government pledged $2 million in humanitarian assistance to support recovery and relief operations in the affected mountain districts.
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