Nurse missing in Nepal-Tibet flash flood
Getty ImagesA Kent hospital nurse is missing in Nepal after severe flooding struck a pilgrimage route.
Sarada Simkhada, a senior nurse at Darent Valley Hospital, is among the hundreds of people reported missing after devastating flash flooding hit near the Nepal-Tibet border.
She was on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash when she lost contact with relatives and her brother, Shambhu, said the family was desperately waiting for news of her safety.
He wrote on social media: "My dear sister, wherever you are, please stay strong. We are praying for your safety every moment and waiting desperately for you to return home."
Nepalese authorities have reported hundreds of deaths and more than 900 people missing following the disaster.
The flooding has also affected British travellers in the region.
On Thursday, a woman from Folkestone said she had been unable to contact her sister, who was near the Nepal-Tibet border when the floods struck.
Tatajana Phillips told the BBC the last known location of her sister, Julija Jakovicka, was in the border area about an hour before the flooding.
"Then there is no more news," she said.
Ms Phillips said her sister, a mother of two who lives in Germany, had travelled to Nepal for a yoga and meditation retreat.
Her husband, Ben Phillips, said: "We are terribly worried.
"We just know where they were and that's really tough."
Members of Kent's Nepalese community have also been sending messages of support to those affected.
Nina Gurung, a representative of the Gurkha-Nepalese community and a Medway councillor, described the situation as "absolutely shocking and devastating".
She told BBC Radio Kent communications had been cut off in some areas, hampering rescue efforts.
"We also pray for those who are still missing to be found safe, including those who are from the UK," she said.
Flash floods caused rivers to burst their banks, burying homes in mud and creating difficult conditions for rescuers.
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