Family Awaits News of Missing Relatives After Bhote Koshi Flood

Banke. Anlal Rokaya, a resident of Thapuwa, Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City-20, is waiting for either the body or any news of his brother, sister-in-law, and son who went missing after the Bhote Koshi flood in Rasuwa. Since the flood on Bhadra 10, his days have been spent in a daze. His 19-year-old son Deepak, 53-year-old brother Sher Singh, and sister-in-law Bishnumati have been out of contact since the flood. His brother and sister-in-law, who worked at the Rasuwa Customs Office in Timure, had gone to Gosaikunda with his son Deepak, whose condition remains unknown. Rokaya said that 11 days after the incident, with no information, the pain has only increased. He has not been able to stop crying from the pain of losing his son and brother and sister-in-law who had gone to visit Gosaikunda. Rokaya said, "I went to the hospital in Chitwan and looked at all the bodies, hoping to hear some news. As the days pass, my disappointment grows." He added, "It has been so many days since our people went missing, and not finding any trace, alive or dead, increases the pain and confusion." He mentioned that he had submitted a report for DNA testing to identify the bodies. Rokaya stated that the hope for finding them alive or dead is diminishing as the number of missing people exceeds the number of bodies found. His family has not been able to perform any religious rites while waiting for news of their loved ones. He said, "Looking at the nature of the incident, the possibility of our people returning alive or their bodies being found has diminished. It would be easier for us if the government decided on the final rites for those who went missing in an avalanche." He added, "Many days have passed in the hope of finding their bodies or any news of them, and the confusion about how to perform the rituals has led to further suffering as we cannot perform religious rites." His brother Sher Singh, the head of the Rokaya family who migrated from Bajura in Sudurpaschim to Nepalgunj in Banke, had been working with his wife at the Rasuwa Customs Office in Timure for seven years for employment. Anlal said that although his brother and sister-in-law would come home for festivals and work, they would otherwise stay in Timure. According to him, his brother had last come home in Asar for paddy transplantation. Deepak was excellent in his studies. The mother of the missing son, Deepa, said that her son Deepak, who went missing in the Bhote Koshi flood, was excellent in his studies. He studied from Nursery to Class 8 at Bheri Vidya Mandir in Ranjha, Nepalgunj-20. Deepak, who is currently studying at the bachelor's level, was preparing for the Public Service Commission exam in Kathmandu. "He used to be first in class when he was in school, and he was working hard to prepare for the Public Service Commission exam," said mother Karnasari. "He was also taking the Public Service Commission exam, and before the results of some exams came out, my son went missing." Five people missing from the same ward. Five people from Nepalgunj-20 have gone missing after the Bhote Koshi flood in Rasuwa. Including three from the Rokaya family, Aram Damai and Ujina Damai from the locality are also missing, said Chakra Bahadur Buda, acting ward chairman of Nepalgunj-20. According to him, although all the relatives of the Rokaya family live in Thapuwa, Nepalgunj-20, the children of Aram and Ujina live in Kathmandu. He said that local-level assistance and coordination are being provided for the search of the missing persons and necessary support to the relatives. The District Administration Office, Banke, has stated that 23 people from the district are still missing after the Bhote Koshi flood in Rasuwa. Chief District Officer Dilkumar Tamang mentioned that the bodies of three people have been identified so far, and 32 people have been rescued safely.