BURLINGTON, VT — Two Vermont business owners with roots in Nepal are watching the catastrophic flooding there with deep personal grief as search crews continue looking for people still missing. For Raj Adhikari and Uma Adhikari, the disaster is not a distant international story but something tied to family, friends and the country where they grew up.
Raj Adhikari, who owns Laliguras Indian-Nepali Restaurant downtown, said his family is safe but that people from his former neighborhood are still unaccounted for. Uma Adhikari, who owns Asian Mart in Essex Junction, said the images from Nepal have been difficult to process because the country remains central to her identity. Both have been following the news daily and looking for ways to help from Vermont.
Death toll rises as flood victims remain missing in Nepal and China
The flooding has left a devastating human toll across Nepal and China. According to The Associated Press, the combined death toll has climbed above 950, while more than 4,400 people remain missing. Rescue operations are still underway in areas hit by the catastrophic weather.
Hundreds of workers are also believed to be trapped in tunnels at hydropower projects damaged by the flooding. The scale of the disaster has stretched emergency response efforts and left many families waiting for word about relatives, coworkers and neighbors who have not been found.
The U.S. State Department said 80 Americans remain missing and 13 have been rescued. Those numbers show the disaster’s reach beyond South Asia and underline why international monitoring and rescue efforts remain active.
Raj Adhikari hears from friends still unaccounted for
Raj Adhikari said the situation has hit close to home because he still has close connections in Nepal. Born and raised there, he has spent the past several days keeping up with news from the country and staying in contact with people who are trying to help those affected.
He said his family is safe, but that is only part of the picture. Friends from his old neighborhood are still missing, and that has left him shaken as the death toll continues to rise. He described the emotional weight of watching the disaster unfold while knowing that people he knows may still be trapped or displaced.
Adhikari said some of the people he is in touch with are helping distribute food and clothing while search efforts continue. For him, the response is a reminder that recovery is already beginning even as rescue work goes on.
Uma Adhikari says the disaster feels personal from Essex Junction
Uma Adhikari said she spent the first 18 years of her life in Nepal and now finds herself struggling to put her feelings into words. Even though her immediate family lives in another part of the country and was not directly affected, she said the suffering still feels deeply personal.
“I don’t have any relatives there, but it’s my people, my country,” she said. That sense of connection has kept her watching the news every day as new images of destruction and loss continue to emerge from the flood zone.
Her comments reflect how diaspora communities often remain closely tied to events back home, especially when tragedy affects the places and people that shaped their lives. In her case, the connection is emotional, cultural and lasting.
A shared response in Vermont focuses on basic needs
Both business owners said they want to help from Vermont in practical ways. They are donating basic necessities to families who need them most back home, a response they see as immediate and useful while the broader rescue operation continues.
Their efforts also include urging other people who want to contribute to seek out organizations supporting search, rescue and recovery work in Nepal. They did not point to one specific group, but they emphasized that even small donations can make a difference.
That message comes from people who know the country firsthand and understand how quickly aid can become essential after a disaster of this scale. For them, helping is a way to stay connected while families and rescue teams confront uncertainty.
Nepal’s food, culture and community remain central to their lives
Nepal remains an important part of both owners’ lives, shaping not only their memories but also their businesses and daily work in Vermont. Their restaurants and shops reflect the food and culture they brought with them, and those ties help explain why the flooding has felt so immediate.
Raj Adhikari and Uma Adhikari said the country’s people and traditions remain central to who they are. In their view, the disaster has reached far beyond geography, touching identity, community and family networks that stretch from Nepal to Vermont.
As the number of dead and missing continues to be tallied, they are asking others to keep the victims in mind. Uma Adhikari put that appeal simply: pray, and help if you can.
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