Days following a devastating flood in Nepal’s Timure region, relatives of two Metro Vancouver couples are anxiously seeking news about their missing loved ones. Dhaval and Megha Shah from Port Moody and Sumit and Shubakshi Rawla from Coquitlam are among the numerous individuals unaccounted for since the flash flood on August 26 claimed the lives of at least 676 people.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed on Saturday that one of the 32 missing Canadians in Nepal has been located safely, although the individual’s identity remains undisclosed. Vikram Khosla revealed that his cousin Shubakshi was preparing to embark on a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet as a special 50th birthday celebration when the disaster struck. The couple had last communicated with a family member just before the flood hit, and no contact has been established since.

Dhaval’s brother, Kheval Shah, shared from Mumbai, India, that the couple was staying at Hotel Kailash near the border when they were last heard from during breakfast, shortly before the calamity unfolded. The hotel has since been engulfed by the floodwaters. The families are fervently hoping for positive news and closure, with both couples having children back in Canada.

Canada has pledged $5 million in emergency aid to assist Nepal, with organizations like the Red Cross tasked with delivering aid to those affected on the ground. However, Shah and Khosla expressed frustration over the lack of updates and urged the Canadian government to pressure Nepal for more information on the search efforts. Khosla mentioned that Shubakshi’s siblings have traveled to Kathmandu to join the search for clues, emphasizing the need for a centralized information hub to provide real-time updates for families of the missing.

Rescue operations have saved over 3,700 people so far, but 2,426 individuals are still unaccounted for as of Saturday afternoon.