5 days ago
US Couple Missing After Nepal Flash Floods During Birthday Pilgrimage
Deepak and Madhu Ahuja traveled to the Himalayas for a special birthday trip.
Deepak wanted to complete the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage for his 60th birthday.
They were near the Tibet-Nepal border when powerful floods struck.
Their family last knew that they were at a border immigration office.
Soon afterward, their phones stopped sharing their location.
Their daughters are trying to find them with help from rescue workers and government officials.
The family believes the couple may still be on the Chinese side of the border.
Many other people are also missing after the floods and landslides.
The family hopes Deepak and Madhu will be found and brought home safely.
Deepak and Madhu Ahuja, US citizens and OCI cardholders, are missing after floods struck near the Nepal-Tibet border.
The couple had traveled for Deepak’s 60th birthday to complete the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a personal bucket-list goal.
They were last tracked around 9:00 a.m. at the Gyirong Port immigration post before communications and location data were lost.
Their daughters, Shreya and Aashna Ahuja, believe their parents may remain stranded on the Chinese side and are contacting rescue teams and embassies.
The disaster reportedly left nearly 1,400 people missing and 469 confirmed dead after flash floods and landslides.
- Who
- US citizens Deepak and Madhu Ahuja are missing; their daughters Shreya and Aashna Ahuja are seeking information.
- What
- The couple disappeared after flash floods and landslides struck near a border crossing during their pilgrimage.
- Where
- The couple was last known to be at the Gyirong Port immigration post near the Tibet-Nepal border.
- When
- They were last tracked at about 9:00 a.m. local time; Deepak’s birthday was August 4.
- Why
- Torrential rain and a suspected glacial lake outburst triggered flash floods that disrupted roads, power, and communications.
Key facts
- Missing people
- Deepak and Madhu Ahuja
- Citizenship
- Both are US citizens and Overseas Citizens of India cardholders.
- Trip purpose
- Deepak’s 60th birthday and his bucket-list goal of completing the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
- Last known location
- Gyirong Port immigration post
- Last tracking time
- About 9:00 a.m. local time
- Reported disaster toll
- Nearly 1,400 people missing and 469 confirmed dead
- Family response
- Their daughters are coordinating with rescue teams and diplomatic authorities.
Quotes
Aashna Ahuja
Daughter of the missing couple
“We just want them to know that we love them a lot. They have a lot of people that are reaching out and supporting them, and we want them to stay strong. We know that they can pull through out of this, and we really want them to come home.”
NDTV
“We spoke to our parents and went to sleep. We woke up to the news of the flooding. And because they're with the Isha Foundation, the Foundation notified us via email that they were part of the group that was impacted by the floods.”
NDTV
Sources
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