The family of Terricia Govender, a 33-year-old data analyst, has returned to South Africa after an extensive search in Nepal. Govender's mother, Linda Govender, her brother, and family friend Sashin Maharaj made the difficult decision to return home to prepare documentation for a potential search in Tibet. The family had been searching for Terricia in Nepal, but now hopes to explore other areas, including Tibet.
Govender's family remains in contact with a network of locals they established during their trip to Nepal. The network provides daily updates on any news about Terricia. Govender's mother continues to send messages to her daughter on WhatsApp, speaking to her and telling her about their efforts to find her. The family remains hopeful that they will be allowed to travel to Tibet to continue their search.
Terricia was travelling with an Isha Foundation pilgrimage group in Tibet when the flash floods struck on August 26. She was at the Gyirong Immigration Office near the Nepal-China border when the floods occurred. Other South Africans who remain missing are Ladysmith residents Surendranath Maharaj and his wife, Anitha Devi Maharaj; Vivaganathan Pillay and his wife, Janet Pillay; and East London resident Bhavika Ramjee.
Nepal's disaster authority has revised the number of people considered missing following the floods to 6,150. The figure was previously 5,179, but was revised upwards after data collection and verification in affected districts. The disaster authority has also reported that 1,403 bodies have been retrieved, with 105 having been identified.
The floods have had a significant impact on the region, with 43 people reported dead and 519 missing across the border in China. The combined death toll from the glacial mountain collapse on the Nepal-China border now stands at 1,446, with at least 6,669 people missing. Several hundred foreigners, including tourists and pilgrims, are among those missing.
The Nepali government has pointed to the impact of rising global temperatures on the Himalayan mountains as a contributing factor to the flooding. Nepal, a largely rural nation of about 30 million people, contributes a fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions compared with industrialised nations. The scale of the flooding was unlike anything witnesses had seen before.
Govender's family has submitted the relevant documentation and confirmed with the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa that their requests to travel to Tibet have been received by the Beijing embassy. They are now waiting for approval to travel to Tibet and continue their search for Terricia. The family remains hopeful that they will be allowed to travel to Tibet and find Terricia.
Key points
- The family of Terricia Govender has returned to South Africa to prepare for a search in Tibet.
- Nepal's disaster authority has revised the number of people considered missing following the floods to 6,150.
- The floods have had a significant impact on the region, with over 1,400 reported dead and thousands missing.
