Man reveals heartbreak of losing family in Nepal floods

A man who lost his family in floods in Nepal says he struggles to accept that they are gone as he speaks of his heartbreak after returning from the country.

Pramod Poudel, 34, from Uckfield, East Sussex, travelled to Nepal after losing contact with his wife Sumitra, mother Tulisa, brother Pardip and uncle Madhav following the disaster. He says now he does not believe they will be found.

About 1,400 people died while more than 6,000 people are still missing following the disaster, according to official data.

Speaking on his return, he said: "My heart is still saying that there might be something there, but I have to be realistic and accept that they are not there anymore."

He added: "It was very hard to see all of the people in my community, and all of the houses that have been destroyed.

"I don't know what the future holds now. I was away from my family for the last 15 or 16 years, and I want to stay closer to them now."

Flood waters caused devastation after hitting the Nepal-Tibet border on 26 August.

Scientists say the floods were caused by a collapse of rock wall and glacier ice near the peak of Langtang Lirung, a mountain on Nepal's side of the Himalayas.

Poudel, who moved to the UK in 2009, said when he arrived in the area where his family lived there was "nothing left".

Losing his family, he said was "very, very sad", adding that hundreds of others in the community were gone too, calling the destruction "unimaginable".

Funeral rituals for his family were due to be held earlier this month.

Following the floods, Poudel said that he wanted to help rebuild his community after it was destroyed in the disaster.

He said: "I need to look at the bigger picture to cope. If I can help my community, and my school and my family, then that would be good for them."

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