The group of northeastern Louisiana artists traveling in Nepal when Saturday's earthquake struck, has been rescued.
Jan Quiet, Rudy and Susan Miksa of Monroe, and Douglas Walton of Ruston, are part of a group of traveling artists that was traveling to the Tibet border, when the 7.8 magnitude quake occurred.
The group of 15 included Americans and Canadians and three Nepalese guides. Marlen Waters, an associate of Walton, says a helicopter relocated members to safety. "They are safe at the hotel they stayed at near Kathmandu," she said.
After making contact with family and friends just hours after the powerful earthquake, no other communication was heard from the group. U.S. Senator David Vitter and U.S. Representative Ralph Abraham contacted the State Department about efforts to locate the group. Waters says the news has brought relief and everyone, for the moment, wants the group to rest and recover.
She says the group had originally planned to return to the states on May 6, but will talk with state department officials on coordinating efforts, as the area deals with the devastating quake.
