Children Return from Malaysia Searching for Parents Missing in Bhote Koshi Floods
Four Malaysian nationals who had traveled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage have been missing since the flood on September 25 (10 Bhadra). Their children, who traveled from Malaysia to assist in the search, have appealed to government agencies for information but reported that the last contact occurred in the Timure area and no phone communication has been possible since. With little hope of finding them alive, the family is preparing to return to Malaysia.
As of September 1 (16 Bhadra), the four Malaysian pilgrims remain out of contact following the devastating flood on September 25. The missing individuals’ children arrived in Nepal to search for them, yet with no new leads, their hope is fading and they plan to return home.
“We simply want to know their whereabouts; we don’t even know if they are alive,” said Mithreun, a son who came from Malaysia. According to Nepali citizen Prem Bik, coordinating the search efforts, the family is preparing to return due to the lack of any contact possibilities.
The missing include 59-year-old Raman Supramaniam, 54-year-old Nilabhani Marimuthu, 58-year-old Padmavathi A. Govindaswami, and 60-year-old Murugan Supramaniam. Their children traveled to Nepal to assist in the search.
Mithreun’s voice revealed the pain of searching and the weakening hope of a reunion. Their last communication was at 8:15 a.m. on August 26 (Nepal time) near the Timure area, approximately one and a half kilometers from Nepal’s border with China. Since then, attempts to contact their parents on the phone have failed.
Without any communication, the children came from Malaysia to Nepal to seek assistance. They met with government and security officials, urging them to aid in the search. Their plea was, “Please let us know about the status of our parents.”
Despite seven days passing since the flood, they heard no news about their parents, leading to growing despair.
“We are the children of the four Malaysian pilgrims who have been missing since August 26,” said Loganadarshini, daughter of Raman Supramaniam. “The last contact was at 8:15 a.m. Nepal time, and since then, there’s been no news.”
The families have urged both the Nepali and Malaysian governments to accelerate search and rescue operations, expand the search area, and, if necessary, request assistance from military and rescue teams from other countries.
“We want information about their condition and have been hopeful they will be found safely,” she added. “But rescue efforts need to speed up so that we receive information soon.”
Another family member, Mithreun, also appealed to the governments of Nepal and Malaysia to expedite search operations. “I am Mithreun, son of Nilabhani Marimuthu. Our last contact was on August 26 at 8:15 a.m. in the Timure area,” he said. “Not knowing their location or whether they are alive is very painful.”
He requested the Nepali government to expand search and rescue efforts and seek assistance from international military and rescue teams.
However, as their search in Nepal continued, the situation turned grim. Authorities informed them that the chances of rescuing survivors from the flood-affected areas were slim. Consequently, the family’s time in Nepal decreased.
With the hope of meeting their parents gradually dwindling, the children from Malaysia are preparing to return home empty-handed. While in Nepal, they met various agencies and appealed for assistance but received no definitive information.
Eventually, without any firm news about their parents’ condition, the children who came from Malaysia to search for them have been compelled to return. Their hopeful expectation upon arriving in Nepal—that the flood only disrupted communication and their parents would be found safe—has weakened.
As they prepare to leave, they are left with a single question: “Where are our parents?” The answer remains uncertain. After no contact from official agencies, their disappointment has compelled them to return home.