BBC News reports that at least 290 Indian nationals are missing after catastrophic flash floods struck the Nepal-Tibet border region. Many of the missing individuals were participating in a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. The official missing persons list compiled by the Nepal government currently includes 537 names, while the confirmed death toll from the regional disaster has risen to 475.
Subhrasree Chakraborty, a 43-year-old medical technologist, and Rina Banerjee, a 54-year-old private tutor, both from Kolkata, are among those unaccounted for. They were traveling as part of a 30-person tour group. Family members stated that the women lost contact with them on Wednesday morning, shortly after completing their immigration procedures on the Nepal side of the border. The pilgrimage had recently resumed following disruptions caused by the pandemic and border tensions.
Sudipto Bhattacharya, Chakraborty`s husband, reported receiving her final message at 08:03 in the morning. In the message, she confirmed that the group was waiting to enter China. Communication ceased entirely after that point. Bhattacharya noted that his wife possessed extensive critical care experience and was physically fit. Despite his continuous efforts to contact the tour operators and border officials, he has received no information regarding her status or the whereabouts of the rest of the group.
The family of Rina Banerjee is experiencing similar anguish. Her nephew, Dwaipayan Mukherjee, mentioned that she was an experienced trekker who had been highly anticipating the journey. The family last saw her in a group photograph sent by the tour operator, taken just outside the Nepal immigration center.
No further communication has been established since that morning.
The pilgrimage route required the group to travel by bus from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, a mountain settlement located approximately 122 kilometers to the north. Although they faced a four-hour delay due to a landslide, the army eventually cleared the road, allowing them to proceed toward the crossing. Following the completion of Nepal`s immigration formalities, pilgrims typically cross the border on foot toward the Chinese immigration facility located in Gyirong.
Families of the missing pilgrims suspect that the group may have already crossed into Chinese territory when the sudden floodwaters devastated the valley. Without an official list of rescued or deceased individuals from Chinese authorities, the relatives remain in a state of deep uncertainty. They are now urgently appealing to authorities on both sides of the border for precise updates and coordinated rescue operations.
