The Nepalese Society of Texas is organizing a candlelight vigil to honor those killed in the recent flooding and mudslides in Nepal. The event is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Sept. 7 at the Nepali Cultural and Spiritual Center in Euless.
According to the Nepal Disaster Agency, the disaster that began on Aug. 26 has resulted in the deaths of more than 1,300 individuals. Nearly 5,000 people remain unaccounted for, a group that includes 589 foreign nationals. Four of the missing persons are from North Texas.
Among those unaccounted for are Deepak and Madhu Ahuja, a married couple from Plano who have been together for 34 years. The pair, described as longtime business owners and neighbors, were in the region for a religious journey to Mount Kailash. Their relative, Sushil Ahuja, stated that he believes they were inside a building when a large volume of floodwater struck.
Surveillance footage from the Tibetan side of the China-Nepal border recorded the extent of the destruction. Their family is currently searching for them while maintaining hope that they survived.
Another missing couple is Raghu Rajan and Archana Suresh, longtime Murphy residents married for 25 years. They were expected to cross the China-Nepal border when the floods occurred. Their mobile devices last registered a signal near a bridge that was subsequently washed away.
