MANILA, Philippines — The search for a Filipino doctor who disappeared during Nepal’s catastrophic flash floods is continuing, nearly three weeks after the disaster devastated communities, buried infrastructure and left thousands of people missing.
Filipino doctor Juan Carlos Manalo remains unaccounted for following the massive flooding that struck Nepal’s northern border region on August 26. Philippine officials continue coordinating with Nepalese authorities as rescuers press on in one of the deadliest disasters to hit the Himalayan nation in recent years.
The Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, which has jurisdiction over Nepal, remains involved in efforts to locate Manalo, according to the latest report from ABS-CBN News.
Filipino Doctor Was on a Spiritual Journey
Manalo was reportedly traveling with the Isha Sadghuru group for the Kailashyatra tour when communication with him was lost after the flash floods struck. His family earlier appealed publicly for help as they struggled to obtain information about his whereabouts.
The Nepal Tourism Board initially reported that 644 travelers were missing, including one Filipino, after the disaster swept through villages and trekking routes. The missing travelers included Nepali nationals and hundreds of foreign visitors from more than 30 countries.
Philippine officials later confirmed that other members of the Filipino community in Nepal had been accounted for, leaving Manalo as the lone Filipino still reported missing in connection with the disaster.
DNA Samples Requested as Search Continues
The Philippine government has also taken additional steps to help identify possible victims.
Earlier this month, the Department of Foreign Affairs said DNA samples had been requested from Manalo’s family to assist authorities in Nepal with identification efforts. Nepalese authorities have likewise asked relatives of missing individuals to provide DNA profiles as forensic teams work to identify recovered remains.
The massive scale of the disaster has complicated search and identification operations, with destroyed roads, bridges and hydropower facilities cutting off access to several affected areas.
Hope Remains After Survivors Found Days Later
Despite the growing fears surrounding those still missing, recent rescues have given families a reason not to give up.
Rescuers have pulled survivors from tunnels and collapsed structures days after the devastating floods. International rescue teams have been assisting Nepal in the search, while a Nepali worker was recently rescued after surviving nine days trapped inside a dark tunnel.
Another elderly woman was also found alive after spending days trapped inside a collapsed building, adding to extraordinary stories of survival emerging from the disaster zone.
Those rescues have kept hopes alive for families whose loved ones remain missing.
Nepal Disaster Leaves More Than 1,300 Dead
The flooding, triggered by a major Himalayan glacier collapse near the Nepal-China border, has become a national catastrophe.
Recent international reports place the death toll at more than 1,300 people, while thousands remain missing across Nepal and neighboring areas. The disaster destroyed homes, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure, severely complicating rescue and relief operations.
Nepal has deployed drones to deliver emergency supplies to isolated communities because many roads and bridges remain impassable. Helicopters have also been heavily used for search-and-rescue operations in remote mountainous areas.
International teams from several countries have joined Nepalese authorities in the continuing rescue and identification efforts.
Family Still Waiting for Answers
For the family of Juan Carlos Manalo, the search remains deeply personal.
Weeks after communication with the Filipino doctor was lost, there has still been no confirmed information about what happened to him. His relatives and Philippine authorities continue to wait for answers while rescue teams search areas devastated by floodwaters, mud and debris.
But the recent discovery of survivors days after they were believed trapped has provided a painful but important reminder: in Nepal’s disaster zone, the search is not over until every possible location has been checked.
As rescuers continue working against time and difficult terrain, one question remains for the family of the missing Filipino doctor:
Could Juan Carlos Manalo still be found alive?
For now, the answer remains unknown — and the search continues.
Leave a Reply