A Winnipeg family had a “few anxious hours” after getting news of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal.

Brian Griffith-Parker said his wife and daughter, Joan and Kelsey Griffith-Parker, travelled to Nepal four weeks ago and were in a group of about 10 people who hiked to Mount Everest base camp last week.

Griffith-Parker said when he heard about the earthquake, he called the trekking company Joan and Kelsey were travelling with but he couldn’t get through to anyone.

He said moments later his daughter Kelsey left a voicemail message saying the pair had already reached their destination three days earlier and that they had already left Everest base camp and were both fine.

Griffith-Parker said Kelsey did not indicate in the voicemail exactly where she and Joan were in Nepal during the earthquake.

Joan Griffith-Parker trekked to base camp 30 years ago and this time she and her daughter went to celebrate Kelsey getting her teaching certificate.

Joan and Kelsey had planned on climbing a different mountain, Island Peak, after reaching base camp at Everest. They were set to fly back to Kathmandu, the area hit hardest by the earthquake, after climbing Island Peak.

Back in Winnipeg, Lauren Griffith-Parker said she was worried about her mom and sister until getting news they were okay.

Brian Griffith-Parker said he is flying to Europe to meet his wife and daughter after they leave Nepal.

He said he’s still worried about them and won’t feel completely at ease until he sees his family.

“I’m concerned whether there’s going to be an avalanche on one of the mountains during their trip because of aftershocks,” said Griffith-Parker.

He said he’s leaving this week to meet his wife and daughter in Spain.

Another Winnipegger in Nepal Karilyn VanStyvendale is heading home, according to her mom Joanne Johnson.

Johnson said her daughter was also in the area around Mount Everest when the earthquake happened but she got word Sunday evening that Karilyn was okay.

“We want her to come, that’s for darn sure,” said Johnson.

“Crazy things go through your mind,” she said. “Imagining worst-case scenarios.”

Johnson said she has only had sporadic communication with Karilyn and she’s not sure when her daughter will return home.