Four friends have travelled hundreds of kilometres across Nepal in a desperate search for 42-year-old Rajesh Khatri, who remains missing a week after catastrophic flooding near the Tibet border.
According to a report by ABC News, Sunil BK, Sudip Mangrati, Indra Bahadur Pul and Shivhari have spent six days visiting hospitals, police stations, army facilities and flood-affected areas in an effort to find their friend. Their latest seven-hour journey took them to Chitwan, where bodies have been washing downstream along the Narayani River.
"On the first day we thought, maybe he might call us. We just waited," Sunil said.
"But after 24 hours we were very scared, so on the second day we started to search," as quoted by ABC News.
The friends travelled by two motorbikes despite difficult road conditions as they continued looking for information.
"The journey was very hard, the roads are not good, and we are just hoping to find more information," Sunil said, ABC News has quoted.
Rajesh was leading a tour group
Rajesh, a father of two, was leading a tour group when the disaster struck. He was on Betrawati Bridge when a colleague contacted him to warn that floodwaters were approaching.
"And he said, 'Yeah, I'm just on the safe side, the police have also stopped us, we are just waiting here,' he just said like that," Sunil said, as quoted by ABC News.
The bridge was later destroyed by the flooding, and Rajesh has not been heard from since.
His friends believe they may have identified him in a social media video showing people on part of the bridge as floodwaters swept through the area.
"This one, this one, this one," Sunil said, pointing at a figure in the video on his screen, ABC News has quoted.
The group believes there is a "90 per cent" chance the person is Rajesh, based on his appearance and movements. They have also found an image of his mud-covered vehicle, with its registration plate still visible.
Rajesh's family has been devastated by his disappearance. He has a 13-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son, leaving his friends to continue the search on their behalf.
"We are standing together, for them," Sudip said, as quoted by ABC News.
Army continues recovery operation
Chitwan has become a major recovery site, with hundreds of bodies recovered from the Narayani River. Nepali Army personnel have been conducting retrieval missions along the river for several days.
"There is no rest and relief; we will continue our efforts," Major Bhimsen Devkota said.
"You are trying to say [to] me that I'm tired, but I'm not. We will continue the search," as quoted by ABC News.
Recovered remains are being taken to Bharatpur Hospital, where forensic teams have been working under severe pressure. The hospital received between 90 and 100 bodies a day in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.
"It was very difficult, to be quite honest," forensic expert Kashyap Shrestha said.
"Difficult not just in the sense for us to work - it was kind of overwhelming, as well, seeing such a huge number of dead bodies," ABC News has quoted.
Shrestha and his team have completed 290 post-mortems while working with limited resources. As bodies decompose, identifying victims has become increasingly difficult.
"We are collecting DNA samples," Shrestha said.
"Whatever identification markers that we can find externally, we are documenting that," Shrestha said, as quoted by ABC News.
Search for missing people continues
A missing persons centre has been established near the hospital, where Red Cross workers are collecting information from families and friends searching for loved ones.
Recovered bodies are displayed on a screen at the centre to help relatives identify them. However, many bodies are now too badly decomposed to be recognisable.
Volunteer Prabin Kafle helps review the images.
"It is distressing, but then I think about what the families are going through," he said, as quoted by ABC News.
The four friends went through hundreds of photographs but could not identify Rajesh.
"We just watched so many photographs there," Sunil said.
"They are so much injured, their face, their body.
"So it's very difficult for us also to just find our friend," ABC News has quoted.
DNA collection is also underway, with the Nepali government seeking international assistance for the testing process.
After another unsuccessful search, the four friends prepared to return to Kathmandu and update Rajesh's family. Sudip said he was particularly concerned about Rajesh's wife and children.
"If she needs anything, I will be there for her," he said, ABC News has quoted.
Despite the devastating circumstances, the group remains determined to continue searching.
"We are very upset then. Also, we are not giving up," Sunil said.
"So we will surely visit more places to find more information about our friend," as quoted by ABC News.
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