Apex man focused on finding sister missing in Nepal after floods
MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Hundreds gathered at the BAPS Hindu Temple in Morrisville for a prayer vigil supporting Nepal, where flooding that swept away a village has left more than 1,000 people dead and thousands still missing.
The vigil served as both a tribute to those killed and a call for support as people in the local Nepali community cope with the disaster and search for missing loved ones.
Among them is Apex resident Girish Amin, who is seeking information about his sister, Amita, who was traveling in Nepal near the flood zone.
"She's such a strong soul. And, very strong willpower and perseverance and, very optimistic, positive person," Amin said.
Amita, who lives in New York, was in Nepal on a trek to Mount Kailash, a journey Amin described as central to the Hindu faith.
"Yes. This pilgrimage is the ultimate pilgrimage of Hindu faith. And once in a lifetime is a dream for many people," he said.
I'm very thankful that, you know, there are places in North Carolina for Nepali people, people to get together and have community.- Sanu Gautam, Raleigh resident
According to Amin, his sister had completed the trek seven times and often returned to help others navigate the challenging mountain terrain.
"The air is very thin. A lot of people would have a health issue, breathing issues," he said.
Amita was traveling with a group of seven people and was expected to cross the border into Tibet on the morning of Aug. 26 near the disaster zone. Amin said a friend's phone data has continued to show the same iPhone location since then. He hopes the group had enough time to reach safety.
"I had a very high hope that, if granted, those timings are correct and accurate, then they at least at 45 minutes to clear that area and drive uphill in the high elevation of that mountainous area," Amin said.
As families await news, community members said gatherings such as the Morrisville vigil provide support during a difficult time.
"I'm very thankful that, you know, there are places in North Carolina for Nepali people, people to get together and have community. I find that that's super important. I can't imagine if all these families were grieving what's going on in our homeland and we didn't have each other," said Sanu Gautam of Raleigh.
Community support efforts are also extending beyond the vigil. Organizers of the Live at Present Arts & Music Festival in Knightdale on Sept. 12 said the event, which features Nepali bands, will now support relief efforts.
"It was always the plan to get community together to everyone together locally in North Carolina and have fun together. But this time it's going to be just more than that," said AJ Bhattrai of the festival.
Amin said he remains focused on finding answers about his sister.
"We believe that this was something she always wanted to do as soon as or when it was a good opportunity. But we are also praying that, hopefully, this wasn't her last one," he said.
Amin said he has been contacting the U.S. State Department and authorities in Nepal. He said it remains unclear whether his sister and her group made it into Tibet, but he hopes sharing her story will help uncover information about their whereabouts.
