The millionaire family from Surrey including a former Mrs India UK who are missing in Nepal following flash flood… as hunt for 33 British tourists continues
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
A Surrey family of four, including former Mrs India UK winner Surabhi Sahu, is among British tourists missing after a flash flood struck the Nepal–Tibet border. Rescuers are searching hazardous, remote terrain, while disrupted communications and difficult access have hampered efforts to locate those caught near the Giyrong crossing.
The Sahus — Surabhi, 44, her husband Santosh, 46, and their children Spandan, 18, and Syna, 13 — were on a pilgrimage trek towards Mount Kailash when they were last heard from on Wednesday. Nepal’s reported death toll had risen to 469, with more than 1,500 people missing overall; organisers were still trying to contact a group said to be mostly British, including 33 British tourists.
- Sources
- 2
- Outlets
- 1
- Left · Centre · Right
- 0 · 0 · 2
In short
- Surrey family among Britons missing after Nepal–Tibet flash flood
- Rescue efforts are hindered by damaged communications and remote terrain
- Nepal reported 469 deaths and over 1,500 missing
How this story developed
- 2 months ago A Surrey family of four, including former Mrs India UK winner Surabhi Sahu, is among British tourists missing after a flash flood struck the Nepal–Tibet border.
Full account
Rescue teams in Nepal were continuing to search remote, flood-hit areas near the border with Tibet after a flash flood on Wednesday left large numbers of people dead or unaccounted for. Reports said communications had been disrupted and difficult mountain terrain was hampering access, while relatives of some missing British travellers travelled to Kathmandu seeking information.
Among those reported missing are Surabhi Sahu, 44, a former Mrs India UK winner, her husband Santosh, 46, and their children Spandan, 18, and Syna, 13. The family, who live in Cobham, Surrey, had been travelling with an Alpine Eco Tours group on a pilgrimage and trekking journey connected with Mount Kailash. They were reportedly last in contact while crossing from Nepal towards Tibet, around the time flooding struck the Gyirong border area.
The reports also identify Pravin Atmakur, 54, an NHS consultant psychiatrist, as missing. He had reportedly been leading a group of 77 pilgrims to Mount Kailash. His wife, Manjula, also an NHS consultant psychiatrist, travelled from Britain to Nepal after losing contact with him; she said she hoped to bring him home alive. The group of missing Britons was reported to include 33 UK nationals.
The precise scale and circumstances of the disaster remained unclear in the accounts provided. Both describe a powerful flow of water, mud, ice and debris affecting border routes used by pilgrims and tourists, with rescuers searching for survivors as more than 1,500 people were reported missing overall. The Sahu family’s case was presented partly through their professional and community background, while the account of Mr Atmakur focused more closely on his wife’s efforts to obtain assistance in Nepal.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
Source 1 put Nepal’s reported death toll at 469 on Friday, up from 390 the previous day; Source 2 gave a higher figure of at least 538 deaths.
Source 1 described the flood as a 600ft torrent at the Giyrong crossing, whereas Source 2 referred to surges of up to 650ft and attributed the event to a reported glacier collapse.
Source 1 concentrated on the Sahu family, their Surrey life and their tour group; Source 2 foregrounded Pravin Atmakur and his wife’s journey to Kathmandu, while also mentioning the Sahu family.
Source 1 said the Sahus were on an adventure trek across the Nepal–China border; Source 2 framed the wider travel as a Mount Kailash pilgrimage.
Explained simply
Mount Kailash is a sacred mountain in Tibet, visited by pilgrims from several religions. Travellers from Nepal may pass through remote border areas, where roads and communications can be limited.
Surabhi and Santosh Sahu and their children were travelling as a family on a pilgrimage trek. The wider group of tourists included many British visitors, and organisers were trying to account for its members.
Flash floods can sweep away roads and bridges as well as people, making rescue work difficult. The scale of the disaster and the remote location matter because they can delay both searches and contact with people in the affected area.
Coverage · 2 sources
Bias meters
From 2 rated sources.
- Daily MailRightThe millionaire family from Surrey including a former Mrs India UK who are missing in Nepal following flash flood… as hunt for 33 British tourists continues
- Daily MailRightNHS psychiatrist among 33 Brits still missing in Nepal after flash flood as desperate families fly out to try and find loved ones