'She wanted to live her dream': Man races against time to find missing wife after Nepal floods

WASHINGTON, DC: A US citizen is racing to find his wife after she disappeared during the catastrophic floods and landslides in Nepal on Wednesday, August 26, where hundreds have been killed, and thousands remain unaccounted for. 

Deepak Dandu said his wife, Sridevi Vejella, was on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash when communication with her group stopped after they reached an immigration complex near the Nepal-China border.

Their 13-year-old son survived the disaster and is now with relatives in India.

Husband rushes to find missing wife

Dandu was preparing to board a flight to Hyderabad, India, when he spoke with CBS News on Thursday, August 27, explaining that he was trying to reach his son before continuing his efforts to locate his wife.

He said the boy, who had traveled with his mother, was deeply affected by the news and needed his father with him.

The family had been in regular contact throughout the pilgrimage.

Dandu said he had spoken with Vejella almost every day while she traveled to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.

She had told him she was making her way back toward Nepal and was expected to travel to Kathmandu before flying back to the US. That communication changed on Wednesday.

He said he subsequently received confirmation that his wife was at the impacted location when the disaster struck.

The pilgrimage carried particular significance for her.

Dandu said visiting Mount Kailash had been a lifelong dream and that she had wanted to make the journey for years.

He also said he had originally planned to accompany her but ultimately did not make the trip.

During the CBS interview, Dandu became visibly emotional while describing the search and his plans to reunite with his son.

90 US citizens missing in Nepal floods

The disappearance comes amid a massive rescue operation in Nepal after flash floods and landslides devastated communities along the Himalayan border. 

Rescuers have pulled survivors from deep mud, while helicopters have been used to evacuate people stranded by the flooding.

US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Friday that 90 Americans remained missing following the disaster, while five had been rescued. He vowed to prioritize safety of Americans impacted by the disaster.

The US Embassy in Nepal said the United States was providing supplies requested by the Nepalese government and coordinating with authorities to get assistance to affected communities.

Catholic Relief Services, working through Caritas Nepal, was also preparing food, blankets, mosquito nets and other emergency supplies for people displaced by the disaster.

President Donald Trump described the destruction as devastating, saying Thursday that buildings had been swept away by the floodwaters.

He said US officials had spoken with Nepalese authorities and offered to provide whatever assistance was needed.