Pilgrims seeking peace caught in deadly Nepal-Tibet floods

Pilgrims journeying to the sacred Mount Kailash in the Himalayas for spiritual renewal found themselves in the path of deadly floods that ravaged the Nepal-Tibet region. The disaster, caused by a glacial collapse on August 26, unleashed a torrent of water and mud, destroying villages and infrastructure.

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

Witnesses described a terrifying scene as a "tsunami-like wall of water and mud" swept downstream. Laloma, a Nepali mother rescued on August 27, recounted seeing two buses carrying Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar swept away. "They are all gone," she told AFP, her voice filled with despair.

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

Mount Kailash holds deep religious significance for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. The area around the mountain and nearby Lake Mansarovar, a popular pilgrimage route, was particularly affected. The floods have resulted in over 470 confirmed deaths and left more than 1,400 people missing in both China and Nepal.

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

Spiritual leaders, including Sadhguru, have expressed profound distress. Sadhguru, who was in Tibet, shared a video message detailing frantic, unsuccessful attempts to contact missing devotees. He described a terrifying moment when floodwaters crashed over a border office building where pilgrims were gathered. "All of us, including the volunteers and support teams are deeply anguished," he stated, sharing his pain with the families of those affected. Communication lines are down, and roads are blocked, hindering rescue and relief efforts.

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To the families and loved ones of those in our group and hundreds of others who are affected in the region, I share your pain.