Fears are growing for a number of New Zealanders still unaccounted for after Saturday's destructive earthquake in Nepal, with one Kiwi mother describing the wait for news as "horrible".
As the aid effort moves into its sixth day, Kiwi families with loved ones in Nepal are growing increasingly anxious about their safety.
In the last few days the number of missing has dropped as many have reached areas with telephone and internet access, or telecommunications have come back online.
However, a small number - believed to be six - have still not been heard from.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) refused to confirm the number of New Zealanders still missing in Nepal, but said "only a few" were unaccounted for.
"The ministry is in regular contact with their family members. For privacy reasons we are not releasing details of individuals," the ministry said.
NZME. News Service has compiled a list of missing New Zealanders based on the Red Cross missing person website Family Links, Google's Person Finder website, and by speaking to family members of those still unaccounted for.
Marie Grant, the mother of one of those missing - Doug Sealy, 31, from Wellington - described the wait for news as "just horrible".
However, a recent credit card transaction on Mr Sealy's account had given her hope he was safe.
"Apparently his credit card was used on the 28th, so I'm hoping that he's going to be alright," she said.
"I'm just hoping it wasn't when the transaction went through, it was actually when he used it."
Mr Sealy has been volunteering in India, and was forced to make a trip to Nepal in order to renew his visa, Ms Grant said. He was due to be in the Himalayan country when the earthquake struck.
"I rang where he was teaching last night in India, and they said he left late, and so they thought the bus wouldn't have got to wherever it was going until 7am. They thought that he wouldn't have had enough time to get to Nepal because he left so late," Ms Grant said.
"So that's a bit hopeful too. But apart from that, I don't know - we're just waiting."
Mr Sealy had yet to make contact with his family by last night. He did not have a phone with him in India, only a laptop which he was using to communicate via email and Facebook.
"He could be somewhere remote where there's no coverage for laptops or there might not be any power there, so I've just got to wait," his anxious mother said.
At the time of the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake, 99 New Zealanders were registered with Government travel website SafeTravel as being in Nepal. Since then the well-being of more than 260 New Zealanders in Nepal has been confirmed, Mfat said.
The ministry did not go into detail about what it was doing to help locate the missing New Zealanders, but said: "Consular staff are actively engaging with local authorities in Nepal and continue to follow up all leads being provided by families."
A spokesperson also said the situation was being closely monitored, and "our consular team on the ground in Kathmandu are providing advice to New Zealanders".
Airports were operating at "near normal" capacity, with New Zealanders continuing to leave on commercial flights, Mfat said.
"We continue to advise against all tourist and other non-essential travel."
Peter Gibbs, who runs the Nepalese Consulate in New Zealand, said he was hopeful all New Zealanders would be found.
"The hope is that they're all okay, and it's a matter of communication," he said.
Nepal was a large country which was poorly resourced even before the earthquake, he said, and with many remote areas which do not have modern communication networks.
"It's difficult for people who haven't been there to understand the vastness and the poorness of Nepal."
He added: "It's never been greatly organised, and so with an earthquake it's even more difficult."
The consulate was "working closely" with Mfat to coordinate efforts, and the ministry had sent a couple of extra staff to Nepal to assist.
Mr Gibbs said he had received phone calls from relieved parents in the last few days.
"After having fairly anxious parents a few days ago, the difference in relief after some of them had just heard a text or a word or two from their loved ones - it makes all the difference just to know they're safe."
Aid and rescue helicopters were beginning to access the remote mountain villages in the Gorkha district, he said.
It was possible some New Zealanders could be in these villages, "but to be honest, we don't know".
However, he believed that "over the next two days we'll have a fuller picture".
- By Patrice Dougan of NZME. News Service
