Tours placed on hold

“Oh my God,’’ she said. “One of my friends messaged that this happened, that we lost her.”

Her Mumbai- based family said they had been desperate for news after last speaking to her at the base camp before the earthquake.

“She has two young boys, 17 and 15 years old who are anxious to hear some news about her,’’ her cousin Ashish Kaul said. “All attempts to contact her have been futile so far.”

Former Packed to the Rafters star Hugh Sheridan told his Instagram followers he would take a doctor and hire a helicopter to search for his 18- TOUR group organisers expect it could be up to a year before trips to earthquake ravaged Nepal can safely resume.

All efforts are being made to bring Australian travellers home from the area, but damaged roads and infrastructure, limited power and huge demand for flights are creating challenges.

The latest advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was for Australians to “reconsider their need to travel to Nepal”.

Intrepid Group managing director James Thornton said all of their tour groups were safe but they were still trying to year- old brother Zachary. “I will be with a small crew helping with a chopper, a Dr and we will have a satellite phone available for any Australian there who needs to reach home and tell their loved ones they’re OK,’’ he wrote.

“I know so many of us are still waiting to hear but communication is down. My heart goes out to every family who is still waiting to hear.

“I can’t imagine how they feel at Mt Everest.”

Sydney aid worker Matt Darvas yesterday described the horrifying moment the earthquake struck and reach customers who they believed were in the region when the earthquake struck.

“This includes travellers who may have been about to start or had just finished an Intrepid Group trip,” said Mr Thornton.

He said they were doing all they could to ensure the safety and welfare of travellers

All Intrepid trips up to May 11 had been cancelled, he said.

Wendy Wu Tours chief Alan Alcock said it would be some time before they could send groups there again, especially beyond Kathmandu.

“It is anticipated that several tours will more than likely be cancelled between now and the end of the year,” said Mr Alcock. he and his wife Brittany scooped up their baby daughter Zipporah and fled their home in Pokhara, 80km from the epicentre.

“The ground was shaking for two to three minutes,’’ he said.

“It went for an incredibly long time. There have been 20 small tremors since then.

“I spoke to one man who is 75 years old from a village with 2100 households. When the earthquake struck, it was like an explosion. There were rocks going everywhere. He believes 90 per cent of the houses in his village were destroyed.”