Families are traveling to Nepal as the search continues for 33 British nationals still unaccounted for after severe floods swept through the country. The disaster has claimed at least 538 lives, with fears of a second wave of flooding persisting.

Nepalese authorities have identified 573 tourists who are currently missing. The UK government is responding by deploying a rapid deployment team to support affected British nationals, with the specially-trained crisis response unit expected to arrive in Kathmandu on Saturday. This deployment follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham's pledge of £5 million in humanitarian support for relief and recovery efforts.

Among the missing is Neetu Goyal Tiwari, 51, who was on a pilgrimage to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Her brother, Naresh Goyal, described it as her dream and shared his distress. "Please help us find her," he appealed to officials, his voice trembling with emotion. Tiwari had traveled from London to Delhi, then to Kathmandu on August 14 with a group from the Isha Foundation, and was expected to return to India on Thursday.

Anant Patel, from Coventry, is anxiously awaiting news of his parents, Bipin and Mala Patel, who are also on a pilgrimage. Patel believes his parents may have crossed into Tibet from Nepal just before a landslide hit the Gyirong border crossing. He and his brother are in contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Pramod Poudel, from East Sussex, is traveling to Nepal to search for his wife, Sumitra Sapkota, and other family members who have been out of contact since Wednesday. "It's a very, very difficult time for me and for my family and my country," Poudel stated, adding that his family needs him.

The searches are complicated by the remote terrain and the scale of the flooding. The Gyirong checkpoint, where Tiwari was last believed to be, is being coordinated by China due to its location. Families are working with various agencies, including the British Embassy in Kathmandu and Indian government helplines, to gather information.

Details of the missing are slowly emerging as rescue efforts continue. The UK's deployment of a rapid response team signifies a significant step in international support, aiming to provide immediate assistance to British citizens affected by the disaster and to aid in the ongoing search and rescue operations.

The situation remains fluid, with authorities and families holding onto hope while facing the grim reality of the disaster's impact. The £5 million aid package from the UK is intended to bolster relief and recovery initiatives in the affected regions of Nepal.