One missing Canadian found safe as family seeks news of Port Moody couple

The family of a Port Moody couple missing after flash floods near the Nepal-Tibet border remains desperate for information, even as Canada says one of the 32 Canadians and permanent residents previously reported missing in the region has been found safe.

Dhaval Shah and his wife, Megha Shah, were on a spiritual journey in Nepal when the floods struck. Dhaval’s brother, Kheval Shah, said from Mumbai that the family is hoping for news that the couple has been rescued or located.

Authorities updated the combined death toll in Nepal and Tibet to 676 on Saturday, with nearly 3,000 people missing. Nepal’s disaster agency reported 669 deaths and 2,426 people missing, while Chinese authorities reported seven deaths and more than 550 missing.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said telecommunications in affected parts of Nepal are being restored and Chinese authorities now describe the risk of secondary flooding as controllable. She urged Canadians in the region to follow local authorities and Global Affairs Canada travel advisories.

Kheval Shah said he last spoke with his brother Monday, and a cousin spoke to the couple Tuesday. He believes they may have been waiting for immigration offices at the Tibet border to open when the flooding began. He called for Canada to press Nepal for more information about missing Canadians.

Canada has pledged $5 million in urgent humanitarian aid for Nepal through organizations including the Red Cross. More than 3,700 people had been rescued in Nepal as of Saturday.