Indian-Origin US Couple Missing After Nepal-Tibet Floods During Mount Kailash Pilgrimage

An Indian-origin US couple from Texas, Deepak and Madhu Ahuja, are among those missing following devastating flash floods and mudslides that struck the Nepal-Tibet border region. The couple was on a group pilgrimage to the sacred Mount Kailash when the disaster occurred.

Their daughters, Shreya and Ashna Ahuja, reported losing contact with their parents shortly before the floods hit. They have since reached out to US authorities and embassies in India, Nepal, and China for information. The US State Department confirmed that approximately 90 US citizens may have been impacted, with three Americans successfully rescued. The US embassy in Nepal is collaborating with local authorities and tour operators to assist affected citizens.

The disaster also impacted at least 77 individuals traveling with the Isha Foundation on a Kailash pilgrimage. This group was at an immigration facility near the border when the flash flood struck. Initial reports suggested an earthquake might have triggered an ice avalanche and subsequent landslide, but the US Geological Survey later indicated that a landslide itself generated the seismic energy. Scientists are still assessing the role of climate change in the event.

According to the Associated Press, many of the missing were on pilgrimages to Mount Kailash, a revered site for Hindus, Buddhists, and others. Other Indian-origin US citizens, including Venus Rajnikant Patel, 45, and Jitendra Patel, 72, are also reported missing. Nepali police stated that over 500 tourists from 28 countries were missing, while Chinese state media reported hundreds missing in Tibet.