How to find a family member after a glacial outburst flood
Communications in the affected valleys are unreliable. Work through these steps in order rather than waiting for one channel to answer.
Silence is not evidence
1. Try direct contact and mutual contacts
Call and message the person, then their travelling companions, guides, hotel or teahouse, and employer. Mobile and power networks in affected valleys can be down for days, so no answer does not mean bad news.
2. Check whether they have already declared themselves safe
People who are safe can register a safe declaration themselves. If they gave you a case reference and access code, use Track a case to view it.
3. Register a missing person case
Registering a case makes the person searchable by coordinators, hospitals and partner organisations working the response, and gives you a single reference to follow.
4. Contact hospitals and the police
Hospitals hold admission records and the police hold missing person reports. FamilyConnect records authority updates when they are provided but does not hold those registers itself.
5. Contact your embassy or consulate for foreign nationals
Consular teams handle travel documents, welfare and repatriation. Give them the same identifying details you gave in the case report.
6. Go to a Family Assistance Centre
Assistance centres provide in-person help, interpreters and accessible support. Opening hours, services and languages are listed on the assistance centres page.