Friends of missing Auckland woman in Nepal flash flood fear for her safety

Friends of a missing Auckland woman, Shweta Mhatre, have raised concerns over her safety after she disappeared during severe flash floods in Nepal. The floods, which struck the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, have claimed more than 450 lives and left hundreds more unaccounted for. Mhatre, who was reportedly participating in a spiritual pilgrimage organized by the Isha Foundation, has not been heard from since the disaster. Her absence has sparked alarm among close associates and family members. Mhatre’s friends revealed to Radio New Zealand that she had traveled to Nepal for the Isha Foundation's Sacred Walks pilgrimage. They emphasized that none of them had received any communication from her since the floods began. A former partner of Mhatre also confirmed he had not heard from her since Wednesday. Neighbors of Mhatre in Auckland stated they had not seen her at her home in the last two weeks, adding that she was accustomed to frequent travel abroad. According to reports, the Isha Foundation informed Radio New Zealand that Mhatre’s emergency contacts had already been alerted regarding her disappearance. Sadhguru, the founder of the Isha Foundation, shared a message on social media indicating that two New Zealanders were missing from the pilgrimage group. Dejan Kuzmic, another New Zealander believed to be missing, was also part of the Isha Foundation's Sacred Walks. Kuzmic, who arrived in New Zealand as a refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina at age ten, had been part of the group labeled S3, which was at the border crossing affected by the floods. His family friend, Seyed Sepehr Hosseini, confirmed this information and noted that the Isha Foundation had informed Kuzmic’s emergency contacts. Additionally, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had initiated a consular case for Kuzmic. More than 1400 individuals remain missing following the disaster, including five New Zealanders. Among them are Kinnari Patel and Mihir Patel, a Hamilton-based couple who were reportedly traveling to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a revered pilgrimage for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. Ketan Joshi, who knew the couple through Garba events in Auckland, described their enthusiasm for the traditional Gujarati folk dance. He recalled how they participated fully in the dance, which is increasingly uncommon. According to Patel’s brother, Chirag, the couple had flown directly from New Zealand to Nepal via Singapore and were planning to take part in the pilgrimage. They had booked the journey through an agent in Mumbai and had been residing in New Zealand for 30 years. Chirag Patel mentioned that the couple had checked out of their hotel in Nepal after staying for three days and had planned to return for Raksha Bandhan, a Hindu festival honoring sibling bonds, which occurs today. However, there has been no word from the couple since they departed for the pilgrimage on 21 August. Patel added that he was reaching out to Indian authorities to seek updates on their whereabouts. Members of the Indian community in Hamilton have rallied to provide support for the couple’s children, offering food and other forms of assistance. As the search continues, local and international efforts are underway to locate the missing individuals. The scale of the tragedy underscores the challenges faced by those affected by the flash floods, highlighting the need for continued coordination between local communities and governmental agencies.