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New Delhi: The family is worried over the disappearance of 48-year-old Sheetal Chauhan, who had gone on Kailash Mansarovar Yatra amid the floods in Nepal. Sheetal, an American citizen of Indian origin, lives in Tennessee, America. She went to Nepal for the second time for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. She was present in Pasang Lhamu area when the flood occurred on 26 August.

Sheetal was traveling with a group of about 50 passengers. This group had set out on a trip through Himalayan Glacier tour operators. After the flood, the family is not getting any clear information about Sheetal. The family members are continuously searching for him and are trying to get help at the local level.

Sheetal's cousin Siddharth Kuwawala, who lives near Babulnath temple in Mumbai, told that he has information to the tracker installed in Sheetal's bag. Through this his last location was found in Pasang Lhamu. This is the same area which is said to be one of the areas most affected by floods.

Sheetal had gone after sending Rakhi, cousin now requested for help

Siddharth told that Sheetal had sent him Rakhi on 21st August. Even today he is wearing the Rakhi of Lord Shiva sent by his sister. Amidst the emotional memories to this Rakhi sent for Rakshabandhan, the family is now waiting for Sheetal's safe return.

He told that Sheetal's husband Chetan is in Tennessee and is in touch with American officials. Sheetal's brother has reached Baroda to live with his elderly parents. Family members are trying to gather information from different places and help in the search.

According to Siddharth, Sheetal had called her elderly parents to Kathmandu for a few days before starting the journey. After this his parents returned back to Baroda. The family had no idea at that time that after this they would lose contact with Sheetal and they would have to worry about her well-being.

The family appealed for better use of technology in rescue.

Siddharth told that at present the family does not have much information about Sheetal's whereabouts. He has also contacted those Indians who have reached Nepal for relief and rescue operations with information about Sheetal. The family hopes that Sheetal will be traced with the help of local rescue teams and the people present there.

He said that to make the search operation more effective, better use of satellite phones and modern technology among tourists is necessary. According to him, in case of such a disaster, if there is better use of technical means to contact the passengers, then it can be easier to find the location of the missing people and provide information to the relief teams.

At present, the family is hopeful of Sheetal's safe return. Her husband is in touch with US officials, while other family members are gathering information through means available in Nepal and India. Based on her last location in flood-affected Pasang Lhamu, the search for Sheetal remains the biggest concern for the family.