Archive · 3 Sep 2026
Brother Search Intensifies After Nepal-Tibet Flash Floods Leave Hundreds Missing
Huge floods and landslides struck areas near the Nepal-China border.
Many rivers became swollen, carrying mud, rocks, and debris.
Dr Jay Kotecha disappeared while traveling with a group near the Friendship Bridge.
His brother Vaibhav went to Nepal to help search for him.
About 280 to 300 Indians are still missing, according to the reports cited.
Many people from other countries are also unaccounted for.
Rescue teams from Nepal and India have saved nearly 12,000 people in places they can reach.
Vaibhav says the rescue effort needs to become faster, but officials and soldiers continue working in difficult conditions.
Mumbai resident Vaibhav Kotecha traveled to Nepal to search for his missing brother, Dr Jay Kotecha.
Dr Kotecha was among 67 people who disappeared near the Friendship Bridge during flash floods and debris flows.
Approximately 280 to 300 Indian nationals remain missing or uncontactable, according to cited emergency reports.
The disaster reportedly killed more than 1,000 people across Nepal and Tibet, with thousands still unaccounted for.
Nepali and Indian rescue agencies have reportedly saved nearly 12,000 people, including more than 150 Indians.
- Who
- Vaibhav Kotecha is searching for his missing brother, Dr Jay Kotecha; Nepali and Indian rescue teams are conducting operations.
- What
- Flash floods, mudslides, and glacial debris avalanches caused widespread destruction and left many people missing.
- When
- The disaster occurred days before September 2, 2026, when the search was reported.
- Where
- The worst-described incidents occurred near the Friendship Bridge and other areas along the Nepal-China border, including Trishuli and Chilime.
- Why
- Severe weather and sudden glacial bursts in Himalayan river basins triggered flooding and debris flows.
Families Calling for Escalation
Agencies Continuing Rescue Operations
Pace of evacuation
Families Calling for Escalation
Vaibhav Kotecha said the Indian government should send the army and immediately escalate the evacuation process.
Agencies Continuing Rescue Operations
The report says Nepali army, police, and Indian relief teams were already conducting rescue operations in difficult conditions.
Search near Friendship Bridge
Families Calling for Escalation
Vaibhav said nobody from the Friendship Bridge had yet been identified or rescued, increasing families' anxiety.
Agencies Continuing Rescue Operations
Rescue personnel were visiting restricted zones and clearing heavy mud, while access remained limited by terrain and debris.
- Indian nationals missing
- Approximately 280 to 300, according to cited ministry and emergency-operation reports.
- Missing travel group
- A 67-person group organized by Richa Tours disappeared near the Friendship Bridge.
- Reported deaths
- More than 1,000 people reportedly died across Nepal and Tibet.
- People rescued
- Nearly 12,000 people were reportedly rescued in accessible areas.
- Indian citizens rescued
- More than 150 Indian pilgrims and project workers were reportedly rescued.
- Foreign nationals missing
- Roughly 600 foreign nationals across Nepal and Tibet border counties were estimated to be unaccounted for.
- Specialized rescue operation
- An Indian tunnel rescue team was operating in Chilime with the Nepali army.