Family of New Zealand woman missing in Nepal flash flood dismisses false rescue reports

The family of a New Zealand woman who is missing in the deadly Nepal flash flood has called on rescuers not to stop searching for the 44-year-old after conflicting reports of her status emerged online.

Suhasini Reddy was among five New Zealanders who have been reported missing following Wednesday's flash flood at the Nepal-China border.

Reddy's brother, Rajeev, and his wife, Lauren, have urged people to keep searching for survivors in a Facebook post.

"Please do not stop searching for her and please continue to share her information," the post said. "We will continue to do everything in our power to bring Suhasini home."

The couple told The Australian they decided to make the post on social media after seeing local outlets in India falsely report Reddy had been found alive.

They have arrived in Nepal to assist with the search for Reddy, according to media reports.

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Tuesday there had been no change to the status of the five missing New Zealanders.

"While various information is circulating online of those rescued and recovered, there is still no new verified information on the missing New Zealanders," the spokesperson said.

"This is likely to take more time to emerge. Unfortunately, reports of the situation on the ground remain bleak."

Rajeev told RNZ last week that his sister, a mother of two who has been living in Australia for the past four years, was believed to have been in the Dhunche area heading towards the border on Wednesday morning local time when the flood struck.

The software engineer had been on a guided tour with Kailash Journeys with friends from Australia, her brother said.

More than 900 people have been killed and nearly 5,000 are still missing from the flash flood, according to latest wire reports.

Three hundred and fifteen foreign nationals have been rescued to date, according to the latest update from the Nepal Tourism Board early Tuesday morning.

New Zealanders Dejan Kuzmic, Shweta Mhatre, Mihir Patel and Kinnari Patel are also unaccounted for after the flash flood.

Here's what we know about them, as the search for those missing following the disaster continues.

Dejan Kuzmic was part of a group of 77 Isha Foundation hikers who had just completed the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.

Kuzmic came to New Zealand from Bosnia and Herzegovina as a refugee when he was 10 years old.

Nepal's Tourist Police confirmed Kuzmic's name to RNZ on Thursday morning.

Kuzmic's flatmate, Alicia Gimelfarb, told RNZ on Monday that Kuzmic had just turned 44.

"He was very selfless, very generous, and very ... affectionate," she said.

"He was always cheerful and, you know, wanted to make everyone smile and laugh."

She said he was always helpful and went the extra mile for people.

The pair met through school and had been flatting together for the past five years.

Gimelfarb said he had been "dreaming" and planning to go to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar to do the sacred pilgrimage for several years.

Kuzmic has not made contact since the flash flood and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had opened a consular case for him.

Auckland woman Shweta Mhatre is believed to be missing, following the devastating flash floods.

Close friends of hers told RNZ that she was in Nepal on a pilgrimage.

None of them had heard from her since the flash flood.

A former partner of hers, as well as her neighbours, had not seen or heard from her.

RNZ understands Mhatre was part of the Isha Foundation's Sacred Walks pilgrimage.

The Isha Foundation told RNZ on Friday that Mhatre's emergency contacts had been notified about her situation.

Sadhguru, founder of the Isha Foundation, posted a video on social media saying two New Zealanders were missing from his pilgrimage group.

Mihir Patel and Kinnari Patel, who own the Best Value Urlich Ave Dairy in Hamilton, were visiting Nepal for Kinnari's milestone birthday.

Their eldest son, Drishya Patel, told RNZ he was holding onto hope his parents had left the area before disaster struck.

"They're just on a trip to go visit some of the mountains in Nepal. It's like a pilgrimage of sorts," he said.

"They were having a good time."

His mother had messaged him on WhatsApp about 5.30am local time to say they were leaving. The flash flood began unfolding around 8.40am local time.

The couple have not been heard from since.

"As long as like they actually did leave when my mum sent me that message, I'm hopeful," he said.