Lexington, Massachusetts woman among thousands missing after Nepal flash flood: "It's unbearable"

A Lexington, Massachusetts woman is among those missing following deadly flash flooding in Nepal.

Joyti Rai was traveling through Nepal on a pilgrimage with a group of 35 other people. No one from the group has made contact since catastrophic flash floods and landslides killed almost 600 people and left roughly 2,500 missing.  

"It is devastating. You talked to somebody five minutes before and then that person is not there," said Manmeet Sangh Meet, who said Rai is his best friend of 15 years. "I cannot imagine a life without her."

Sangh Meet said he's watching Rai's two children in Lexington, as her husband, Sanjeev Rai, searches frantically for his wife in Nepal. The two have been married for 25 years and have a 22-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son.

"He's in Kathmandu. He is also overwhelmed by what's happening there," Sangh Meet said. "He's broken down but I am going to hold him strong."

Sangh Meet said he's worked with Rai for more than 15 years both in India and in Hudson at Intel. She recently just celebrated her 50th birthday and went to Nepal for a spiritual pilgrimage with a group of about 35 other people.

The group was staying at Hotel Kailash when the flash floods hit. He said Rai spoke with her husband moments before the disaster from her hotel.

"The next two or three minutes this devastation happened, this flash flood. The entire hotel went into the river," he said. "There is no trace of human civilization there. Her phone is at the same location from that moment."

Rai's relatives from India are also joining in the search. Sangh Meet said they have not reached anyone from the group since the tragedy.

"None from those of 36 people. None. Not even the six or seven guides. We never seen something like this," he said.

Sangh Meet said the two would talk every day. Now he's hoping for a miracle.     

"We are now losing hope," Sangh Meet said. "I don't want to say 100% we lost her. I am leaving .01% to a miracle, but 99.9% we lost her. It's unbearable."