Jumla, Sept. 19 -- The anguish of Harka Budha of Lamri village in Patarasi Rural Municipality in Jumla grows with each passing day. For more than three weeks, he has waited for news of his only son, Dhruba, who went missing after the Bhotekoshi floods on August 26.

The uncertainty has left Harka unable to eat or sleep. His family, which relies on farming for a living, had also depended heavily on Dhruba's earnings. He had gone to Rasuwa a year ago to work as a labourer and was sending home between Rs28,000 and Rs40,000 every month. But he had not sent any money for the past three months.

Dhruba called home at around 9pm on August 25 to ask how everyone was doing.

"His work schedule had changed recently, and he was working during the da...