On Wednesday, September 2, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue publicly called for any American citizens in China who may have been affected by last week’s Nepal-China flood to provide information on social media platform X. He urged individuals to share the full name, itinerary, last known location, travel company details, and the date and time of the last contact with those who might be in China during the flood outbreak.
“If you believe you know a U.S. citizen who may have been in China at the time of the flood, please share their information with our team in Beijing. We will provide assistance around the clock,” Perdue wrote. “Helping Americans affected by the recent flooding is our top priority,” the Ambassador to China said.
The U.S. State Department confirmed on Tuesday that 14 American citizens have been safely evacuated from Nepal. The Department has initiated a $3.6 million emergency aid package which includes providing food, water, and sanitation facilities.
“Ensuring the safety and security of the American people is always our top priority,” a State Department spokesperson said.
The U.S. Embassy in China stated on Sunday, August 30, that with rainfall expected until September 1, there remains a risk of further landslides and floods.
Nepalese authorities mentioned on Wednesday that the floods have led to at least 1,114 deaths, with nearly 4,000 people missing, including hundreds of foreign tourists. However, official figures from the Chinese Communist Party report only 16 deaths and 546 missing persons, illustrating Beijing’s track record of underreporting disaster data.
NBC News reported on Wednesday, September 2, that Sanjeev Rai, a 53-year-old banker from Massachusetts, arrived in the Nepalese capital on Sunday in search of his missing wife, Jiwan Jyoti.
During the flood on August 26, Jyoti, who is 50 years old, was on a phone call with Rai discussing her pilgrimage trip to the foothills of the Gonpo Zumpa Kang — a sacred peak in the Hindu, Buddhist, and other faiths.
Rai’s phone screen capture showed their last call at 8:45 a.m. Nepal time, coinciding with the onset of the flood. “She was right in the center of the flood,” Rai said. Jyoti is reported to be an engineering director at Intel.
Rai, after arriving in Kathmandu, contacted the local U.S. Embassy, police, and the travel agency his wife had been with, but has yet to receive any useful information.
He shared that every night he goes to sleep, “clinging to a glimmer of hope,” wishing for a miracle, hoping “she will come back alive.” He admitted the probability is low and is concerned about how his 22-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son would cope without their mother.
“Even if I can’t bring her back alive, I want to bring her home,” Rai stated.
Rai revealed on Wednesday that his search efforts have not yielded any progress.
Survivors from the deadly Nepal floods shared their harrowing experiences of escaping the disaster. Anjana Raja from California recounted to NBC News that she heard a loud noise, turned around to see something huge in the sky, without knowing what it was.
Her immediate thought was, “We have to run.” The entire tour group then rushed up the stairs near the bus stop in Timure, a small town on the Nepal-China border where their bus was parked.
Minutes later, Raja, 53, described how a massive tsunami-like wave swept through, engulfing hundreds of people and vehicles and destroying buildings, including the China border crossing.
Raja and her husband Pattabiraman Venkatesan, 56, were en route to Gonpo Zumpa Kang for pilgrimage. Raja, a project manager, likened the flood to a “rising cobra.”
Ultimately, following their guide, they climbed rugged, muddy terrain to reach a military camp. They were eventually evacuated by a Nepalese military helicopter.
Venkatesan, a software engineer, said, “It’s been a rollercoaster journey.”
While relieved they are safe, he expressed concern for those still missing hoping they are somewhere waiting to be found.
The couple eagerly awaits their return to their home in the San Francisco Bay Area.