Nepal-Tibet floods: 37 Tamil Nadu pilgrims unaccounted for; 77 Isha group members stranded

A flash flood struck the Nepal-Tibet border corridor on Wednesday, leaving at least 37 Tamil Nadu pilgrims unaccounted for and 77 Isha Foundation members stranded. The flood, which originated on the Tibetan side, flooded the Bhotekoshi River near Rasuwa region in Nepal around 9 am, cutting off communication lines and causing conflicting reports about safety.

At least 46 people died, and nearly 500 were reported missing, including 105 Indian tourists and 37 non-resident Indians, with at least 59 Indians being Kailash pilgrims. By late Wednesday, the situation of the Tamil Nadu groups remained unclear, with between 37 and nearly 50 unaccounted for. Tour coordinator Thennarasu informed the state government monitoring cell that the Tamil Nadu group consisted of four agencies, with 106 people traveling through various routes.

Fifty-seven pilgrims left Kumbakonam on August 23, while the remaining 49 were from Chennai; two groups were confirmed to be safe, while the other two could not be reached. The Isha Foundation members, who were returning from Tibet through the immigration office, were also caught in the flooding. Isha Foundation's statement revealed no information on the whereabouts of the 77 Isha members, stating that they were working with authorities to locate them and offering assistance.