Families Scramble for News as Floods Leave Pilgrims Missing in Nepal-Tibet

Anxious families are desperately seeking information as rescuers comb through mud and debris for nearly 1,500 people missing in Nepal and Tibet after a devastating flash flood. The disaster struck a Himalayan river on Wednesday, sweeping away scores of people near the Nepal-China border, a key transit point for pilgrims heading to the revered Mount Kailash in Tibet.

Indians form the largest contingent of foreigners unaccounted for, with over 700 foreign nationals missing in total. Families across India and beyond have inundated government hotlines and tour agencies with urgent appeals for any news. Syed Sadique, whose travel agency in southern India sent nearly 60 people on the pilgrimage, is among those anxiously awaiting updates. His own son, a tour guide, is among the dozens missing from his group.

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We are hearing the water level is receding, but the area remains covered in mud. We do not know how many people will return safely.

"We are hearing the water level is receding, but the area remains covered in mud," Sadique told Reuters, his voice heavy with worry. "We do not know how many people will return safely." The group had been traveling in three buses in Nepal, with one bus reportedly managing to get through safely while others were caught in the deluge. One pilgrim, Vallynayagi, managed to escape with her bus after it narrowly avoided the main slide, though mud had accumulated inside their vehicle.

Mount Kailash, a sacred site for Hindus and Buddhists, is a popular destination for Indian pilgrims who often travel through Nepal. The surge of water slammed into Tibet's Gyirong border crossing, a critical point on the pilgrimage route, causing widespread destruction. While August is not peak season, it falls within the favorable weather window for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, suggesting a significant number of travelers were in the area.

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Three buses were travelling together when the mudslide hit. It appears the bus in front of them and the one behind them were both thrown off. But somehow, the stretch of road where their bus was travelling was not washed away.