Families waiting for news from Nepal and Tibet will feel both hope and despair – and this can change minute to minute

The surging death count from the devastating flash floods that hit Nepal and Tibet on August 26 has reached 1,050. At least 42 Australians are among more than 4,000 people still “unaccounted for”. But this phrase “unaccounted” – frequently used in media reports – can split the problem too simply: people are either lost or yet to be found. For many families waiting for news, this gap between uncertainty and despair is ambiguous – and it’s agonising. There is no guarantee news will ever come. So,…