Kathmandu, Aug 29: Rescue operations following devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border have been complicated by the risk of a river surge, while authorities continue efforts to locate people reported missing in the disaster.
A large group of pilgrims associated with the Isha Foundation is among those unaccounted for after the disaster struck while they were returning from the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage in Tibet.
Isha Foundation founder Jaggi Vasudev, popularly known as Sadhguru, said in a video message that 80 members of the group could not be contacted following the floods.
The group included pilgrims from several countries, among them nine British nationals.One of those reported missing is 51-year-old Neetu Goyal Tiwari. Her brother, Naresh Goyal, said she had long wished to complete the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage.
The situation has been further complicated by concerns over rising water levels in a river near the affected area. Authorities feared that accumulated water could breach a natural barrier, potentially sending a powerful surge downstream.
As a precaution, search teams were forced to temporarily halt operations in some locations. Residents who had returned to parts of Nepal’s Rasuwa district were also advised to leave vulnerable areas and move towards higher ground.
The floods have caused widespread destruction across the mountainous region, damaging roads, bridges and other infrastructure and leaving rescue teams facing difficult terrain and disrupted communications.
Officials and emergency personnel are monitoring water levels and assessing the stability of areas affected by the flooding. Rescue operations are expected to continue as conditions become safer.
The disaster has highlighted the risks faced by communities and pilgrims travelling through the remote Himalayan region, where sudden floods, landslides and unstable terrain can rapidly turn into major emergencies.
