LEXINGTON, Mass. —
A woman from Lexington, Massachusetts, is among the thousands missing in Nepal after massive flash floods obliterated parts of the country.
Jyoti Rai was on a spiritual pilgrimage in Nepal for her 50th birthday when the disaster hit. Rai's family had just spoken to her minutes before, and they say that she had told her husband that she was getting ready to go through Chinese immigration. They have not heard from her since.
"It was unbelievable," said Rai's closest friend, Manmeet Singh Meet. "We were worried. We were trying to find out. Her phone was at the same place, same location."
Hours have now turned into days, with no sign of Rai. According to Singh Meet, the hotel where Rai had been staying has since been swept away by the water. Her family is deeply concerned that she may have perished in the floods.
"I think then that's when you know we start realizing -- maybe she's not there. Maybe there's a miracle, but I was thinking, everyone must be expecting a miracle," Singh Meet said.
Rai Family
Rai's husband, Sanjeev Rai, has now traveled to Nepal to try to find his wife, overwhelmed by the horrific and unbearable search to find his wife. He is now among the thousands searching morgues and hospitals for lost loved ones.
"He's overwhelmed. He's been breaking down -- many times. You call him and you can hear him crying," Singh Meet said.
At least 90 Americans were missing as of Friday, according to the State Department. Local officials in Nepal report that nearly 700 bodies have been found, and more than 3,000 people are still missing.
On Saturday, Singh Meet flew out of Logan Airport to help Rai's husband try to search for her. He too is desperate to find his friend of over 15 years, a woman who has been alongside him in their journey from India to the United States.
Rai is a "joyful" and devoted mother to two children, a 22-year-old daughter, and a 15-year-old son, Singh Meet said, and has spent years as an engineer with Intel in Hudson.
"Everyone is devastated. We need closure," he said.
Singh Meet's and Rai's families are deeply intertwined, only living a mile apart in Lexington.
"That's the least I could do, right? That's the least I could do," Singh Meet said. "There are relationships beyond love, beyond friendship. Sometimes, you are so well connected with each other, with your families and everything. There are no ifs and buts. You don't think twice. You just go and you know you're there for each other."
Singh Meet is determined to get closure for Rai's family, he said, as he prays for every soul lost, and every person left behind.
"If she is alive, keep her alive and give us the strength to bring her back. Give her the strength to be fine and come back. If she has really left for our heavenly abode, then please help us find her and please help everyone else find their loved ones because everyone has to have this closure with them," Singh Meet said.
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