‘All in God’s hands’: Gujarat pilgrims missing on Kailash route after Nepal floods

Flash floods have left 18 people from Gujarat missing or lost contact in Nepal, disrupting the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route near the Tibet border. The missing individuals hail from various cities in Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Anand, Surat, Valsad, and Rajkot, as well as those living in the United States and Australia. Communication blackout occurred as flash floods damaged major roadways and severed telecommunication networks.

The uncontactable group included a US-based couple, Bimalkumar Patel and Jaimina Patel, who were travelling to Kailash Mansarovar when the disaster struck. Their 12-year-old son remained in Anand, while their family is anxiously awaiting an update. Another Australian resident, Bhavinkumar Raval, who had arrived in India to join the pilgrimage with three friends, has not been in contact since informing his wife he would reach Tibet in five minutes for immigration processing.

The district administration has reached out for details, and authorities are intensifying relief and rescue operations, working with Indian diplomatic channels and Nepal emergency teams to establish contact with the stranded groups.