A Decatur man who had been trekking through Nepal and hadn't been heard from since a massive earthquake ravaged the country is safe.
Martin Emanuel texted his wife to tell her he was alive and well, according to his son, Brooks, who posted the news on his Facebook page Wednesday morning.
“Dad texted Mom!!!” he posted. “Dad … says he is fine.”
Emanuel, 71, was trekking in the mountainous nation with a guide when the disaster struck Saturday.
His family had maintained optimism that he was all right even as the death toll climbed above 4,000. But they noted that communication was difficult even in good conditions in Nepal, and they expected to hear from him soon.
Anne Emanuel told The AJC that her husband, a sculptor and longtime faculty member at the Atlanta College of Art, had been hiking with a guide they knew from a previous excursion in an area north of Kathmandu.
The guide, Dilli Magar, sent an email that he is fine, too, Brooks Emanuel noted in his post.
While both are well, Brooks Emanuel said it’s not known where they are in Nepal and where they should go.
They trekked from Syabrubensi on April 24, spent Saturday night April 25 in an area west of Langtang National Park, and may have been headed to Nagthali from Tatopani on April 26, he said.
“We do not know how much information they have about conditions throughout the area, or how dangerous certain areas are at this point in time,” he wrote in his post. “What we think would be most useful are: (1) what phone numbers they should try to contact to, and (2) information on safe and unsafe areas which might help them plan their next moves.”
He also asked if anyone knows whether people should take shelter where they are and wait to be rescued or try to walk back to Kathmandu.
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