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🇳🇵 Nepal /Disasters & Emergencies

Nearly 400 Kailash-bound pilgrims out of contact after Rasuwa flash flood

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Nearly 400 pilgrims heading to Kailash Mansarovar are out of contact following a flash flood in Nepal's Rasuwa district.
  • The flood damaged roads and infrastructure along the Nepal-China border, disrupting travel.
  • Travel agencies are working to establish contact and assess the condition of the pilgrims.

Nearly 400 pilgrims bound for the sacred Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet are unaccounted for after a flash flood devastated parts of Nepal's Rasuwa district. The deluge swept through villages and crippled critical infrastructure along the Nepal-China border early Wednesday, leaving travel agencies scrambling to reach their clients.

Bashu Kumar Adhikari, managing director of Touch Kailash Travels & Tours, confirmed that 390 pilgrims, including 93 Nepalis, were scheduled to cross the border. As of Wednesday afternoon, contact had been lost with all but a few.

Except for a few, we have not been able to establish contact with the pilgrims as of 3pm.

— Bashu Kumar Adhikarimanaging director of Kathmandu-based Touch Kailash Travels & Tours, on the difficulty of reaching the stranded pilgrims.

Multiple travel agencies reported significant numbers of clients affected, including Samrat Tours and Travels (71), Leaf Holidays (55), and Trekkers Society (92). Sagar Pandey, president of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, stated that urgent efforts are underway to establish communication and ascertain the well-being of those stranded.

Efforts are underway to establish contact with the pilgrims and assess their condition.

— Sagar Pandeypresident of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, on the response to the disaster.
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Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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