Pilgrims perish in Nepal-Tibet floods after glacial collapse

Pilgrims seeking spiritual renewal in the Himalayas were caught in deadly floods that tore through the Nepal-Tibet region, wiping out villages and claiming hundreds of lives. The disaster struck as people were drawn to the sacred, snow-capped Mount Kailash, a revered site for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains.

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I saw two buses carrying Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar. They are all gone.

One survivor, Laloma, a Nepali mother, recounted the horror of seeing two buses carrying Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar swept away. "They are all gone," she told AFP, after being rescued with her husband and infant son from the devastated Syabrubesi area in Nepal.

The floods were caused by a glacial collapse on Wednesday morning, sending a tsunami-like wall of water and mud downstream. This torrent of debris buried homes and destroyed bridges. The disaster has resulted in over 470 confirmed deaths and left more than 1,400 people missing in both China and Nepal.

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Literally, the entire group was there in the building, this is a terrible and extraordinary event.

Mount Kailash, considered the abode of deities Shiva and Parvati by Hindus and associated with Mount Meru by Tibetan Buddhists, is forbidden to climb. Pilgrims instead undertake a contemplative circuit around its base. The journey, particularly popular among Indians and organized by figures like spiritual leader Sadhguru, was meant to be a healing experience. Sadhguru himself expressed deep anguish, sharing videos of the devastation and his frantic calls to missing devotees.

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All of us, including the volunteers and support teams are deeply anguished.