DIRCO Contacts Families of 6 Missing South African Tourists After Nepal Floods

• The Department of International Relations confirmed it is in contact with the families of 6 South Africans unaccounted for after severe flooding in Nepal
• Among the missing are the KwaZulu-Natal couple Surendranath and Anitha Devi Maharaj, last seen near the Nepal-Tibet border on a pilgrimage route
• The family has issued an urgent public appeal as Anitha Devi requires insulin, and the couple has not been reachable since the floods struck

SOUTH AFRICA — The Department of International Relations and Co-operation (Dirco) confirmed on Thursday that it is actively engaging with the families of six South African tourists who remain unaccounted for following severe flooding in Nepal.

According to TimesLIVE, the floods struck the region on Wednesday, affecting areas along the Nepal-Tibet border where a group of South African pilgrims had been travelling along the Kailash route. Two of those unaccounted for are Surendranath Maharaj, 74, and his wife Anitha Devi Maharaj, 67, residents of Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal. The couple was on the Kailash pilgrimage route near the Nepal-Tibet border when the flooding occurred.

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Family members have been unable to establish any contact with the pair since the disaster struck. The search carries particular urgency because Anitha Devi is diabetic and dependent on insulin, raising serious concerns about her health and access to medication in the affected zone.

Family issues urgent public appeal

Relatives made a direct plea to the public on 27 August, urging anyone with information to come forward.

"Any information regarding their whereabouts, sightings, or assistance with the search will mean the world to us," the family said.

Efforts to locate the missing tourists are continuing across the search zones along the border area, with Dirco confirming it remains in contact with the affected families as the situation develops.

View a tweet about the flood:

Durban woman among missing South Africans

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the tragic situation surrounding Terricia Govender, a 33-year-old woman from Isipingo Beach, who has gone missing after flash floods struck the Nepal-Tibet border area while she was on a pilgrimage with the Isha Foundation. Her family, in a state of anguish, urgently appeals for any information regarding her whereabouts following her last video call just before the disaster.

Source: Briefly News