Timure, Nepal: A Canadian NRI couple, Dhaval Shah, 52, and his wife Megha Shah, 50, are among those reported missing in Nepal following devastating floods in the Timure region.
Family members of the couple have circulated missing posters in and around British Columbia, Canada, in the hope of receiving information about their whereabouts. The couple had travelled to the Timure region as part of a pilgrimage, an area that was severely affected by the floods.
Dhaval's cousin Nikita Shah told Global News that the couple's last known location was Hotel Kailash.
Megha Shah and Dhaval Shah are among 30 Canadian citizens and permanent residents listed as missing by Global Affairs Canada following the disaster. Shubhakshi (Shubhi) Rawla and Sumit Rawla, both aged 50, are also among those who have not been heard from since the floods. Their last reported sighting was at a tea stall in Timure, where they had been staying at Hotel Kailash.
The Shahs and the Rawlas were travelling with a group of 47 people, including 10 Canadians, on a pilgrimage around the base of Mount Kailash in Tibet. The trip was organised by Himalayan Glacier Adventures.
Dhaval's brother, Keval Shah, who is currently in Mumbai, told the Vancouver Sun that the couple had left for the two-week trek on August 24. He said he last spoke with Dhaval on Sunday.
“He was going to come and meet me after in Mumbai on Sept. 7,” Keval said.
The couple have a daughter who remained at home during the trip. Dhaval has lived in Canada for around two decades and works as a cargo ship captain.
Nikita said the family remained hopeful that Dhaval's professional and naval training may have helped him and his wife survive the disaster.
According to Nikita, Hotel Kailash is believed to be around 1.5 kilometres from the checkpoint. She said the tour company lost contact with people in the area at around 8:30 that morning, and the family has had no information about the couple since then.
“So the Hotel Kailash, from what we understand, is like about 1.5 km from the checkpoint, so they were somewhere in that location and, you know, the (tour) company lost contact with anybody at around 8:30 that morning, so we don’t know where they have been since then,” Nikita said.
Tour Operator Issues Statement
Himalayan Glacier Adventures said in a social media statement on Wednesday that communication with the group had become “extremely difficult” after the floods damaged mobile and electrical infrastructure.
“We completely understand how worrying and distressing this uncertainty must be for you and your family, especially with concern surrounding the Kailash Yatra pilgrims who were travelling through the affected region,” the company said.
