US Pledges Rp56 Billion in Aid for Nepal Disaster, American Citizen Reported Missing
The United States government has increased its humanitarian aid commitment for Nepal to US$3.6 million (approximately Rp56 billion) following the devastating flash floods that struck the border region between Nepal and China. The amount represents a significant increase from the initial commitment of US$500,000 announced two days earlier.
The US Department of State confirmed that the emergency funds are focused on providing life-saving assistance to residents affected by the disaster in the mountainous region.
“The United States stands with the people of Nepal by providing more than US$3.6 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, including up to three months of emergency food aid for up to 10,000 flood-affected households,” the US Department of State wrote in a post on platform X on Saturday.
In addition to distributing logistics, US authorities are also continuing to monitor the safety of their citizens at the disaster site. The US embassies in Nepal and China are reported to be working intensively together to assist American citizens while supporting disaster response efforts on the ground.
Amid the aid distribution, deep anxiety has gripped the families of foreign tourists. One of them is Sneha Sudhir, a US citizen from Virginia, who has lost contact with her husband, Srinivas Sudhir Rangu, and nine of his travelling companions since the flash floods struck on Wednesday.
Rangu and his nine friends, all of whom are US citizens, were on a trekking journey in the Mount Kailash area when the floodwaters swept through settlements and local transport routes.
“It was supposed to be a simple two-week trek to Nepal where he goes, has fun with his friends, and comes back home,” Sudhir told Danny Freeman on CNN Newsroom.
Sudhir revealed that communication and cheerful photo posts from the group stopped abruptly when the flash floods hit the border region.
“It has been more than 80 hours since I have heard anything, the family has not heard anything from them,” Sudhir said anxiously. “There are families out there. There are 10 men stranded there. Every single one of them is a great human being, a great father, a great husband. I don’t know where they are.”
The situation is increasingly worrying given that several members of the trekking group are elderly individuals who require routine medical care and daily medication.
“Eighty hours is too long for them to be somewhere without anyone looking after them,” Sudhir said.
In facing these difficult times, Sudhir said she continues to communicate with members of Congress from Virginia to push for an acceleration of the search and evacuation process for her husband and his group, who have still not been found.