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Brit reveals last thing his newlywed wife told him before she disappeared in Nepal flood disaster
A food truck owner has opened up about how the Nepal flood disaster has caused his wife and family members to go missing.
Brit Pramod Poudel spoke to his wife, Sumitra, over the phone for the last time at 4.15AM UK time on Wednesday (August 26).
Shortly after, a collapsed glacier sent water, ice, and mud flying down mountains at deadly speeds, claiming hundreds of lives with thousands more missing on the Nepal-Tibet border.
Pramod has started his search for her, as well as his mom, brother and uncle, who went missing with their entire village, which was destroyed.
The 34-year-old flew to Nepal on Friday, and started a trek the following day to look for his wife, 25, in the village of Sole.
Pramod Poudel on last phone call with his wife
Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, he admitted: "When I last spoke to her, she said to me, ‘How are you? I love you so much.'
“I have not had contact with her since then. It’s devastating — I don’t even know how to explain how I’m feeling right now. I’m so worried about her, and all my family. I work so hard for them and they are my whole world.
“I’m very hopeful of finding them, but I’m also praying to God,” he admitted.
Pramod is one of many Brits who have made their way to Nepal to search for their relatives following the flash floods, which started near the Nepal-Tibet border.
As of Saturday (August 29), Nepal's disaster authority stated the death toll was at least 675, with almost 3,000 missing.
Among those missing are 33 Brits, many of whom were on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, with the number dead on the Chinese side standing at seven, with 554 missing.
While around 93,000 were affected by the floods, the risk of fresh torrents caused by two lakes formed by the weather event has thankfully started to ease.
Pramod's tragic situation
The British citizen currently resides in Uckfield, East Sussex, though he was born and raised in the Nepalese village of Sole before moving to the UK aged 18.
Before it was nearly destroyed completely, his hometown had approximately 60 houses and more than 150 residents.
He married Sumitra back in June this year, and she had been staying with his family in Sole while he returned to the UK for work.
Along with his wife, his mom Tulisa, 52, brother Pardip, 31, and uncle Madhav, 64, have also gone missing.
He hiked through the mountains with other relatives, as a bridge which led to Sole was destroyed by floods.
Pramod, known as Pedro by friends in the UK, explained: “Around 90 per cent of the people and all of the houses have been taken by the flood.
“It will be very hard for me to see the village now there is nothing left. I am praying my family were able to escape.
“Some people have said they have seen my brother and my mom, but I don’t know how true that is.“
According to Nepal's Finance Minister, Swarnim Wagle, the country needs $5 billion to rebuild.