Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Nepal Flash Flood Leaves Nearly 400 Kailash Pilgrims Unreachable
A large group of people was traveling from Nepal to Tibet to visit Kailash Mansarovar.
They were supposed to cross the border at Rasuwagadhi on Wednesday.
A sudden flash flood hit the area and damaged roads, bridges and other buildings.
Because travel routes and communications were disrupted, most pilgrims could not be reached by phone.
Reports gave slightly different numbers, ranging from 384 to 390 pilgrims.
One report said the group included 93 Nepali people and 108 Indians.
Officials and travel companies were trying to contact the travelers and check their safety.
India offered help and prepared transport planes for rescue and relief work.
Between 384 and 390 Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims were scheduled to cross into Tibet through Rasuwagadhi on Wednesday.
Only a few pilgrims had been contacted by 3 p.m., according to a travel operator.
The groups included 93 Nepali nationals, 108 Indians in one preliminary count, and nationals from several other countries.
The flash flood damaged settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure in Nepal’s Rasuwa district.
India offered humanitarian assistance, while Indian Air Force transport aircraft were placed on standby for relief operations.
- Who
- Between 384 and 390 Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims, including Nepali and Indian nationals and travelers from several other countries, were out of contact; officials and travel agencies were seeking information about them.
- What
- A flash flood disrupted the pilgrims’ planned border crossing and communications around Rasuwagadhi.
- When
- The flood struck early Wednesday; only a few pilgrims had reportedly been contacted by 3 p.m.
- Where
- Rasuwa district and the Rasuwagadhi border area in Nepal, near the Nepal-China border and the route to Tibet.
- Why
- Flooding damaged roads, bridges, settlements and other infrastructure, disrupting movement and communications along the Nepal-Tibet route.
Reported Interpretations
Alternative Reports
Possible cause of the flooding
Reported Interpretations
Preliminary information cited by one report suggested that a magnitude 4.4 earthquake in Tibetan territory may have triggered an avalanche that caused the flood.
Alternative Reports
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said a glacier-inclusive flood occurred in the Lhende River after a snow-rock landslide near the Nepal-China border.
Status of the pilgrimage
Reported Interpretations
There was no formal order from Nepal’s government or India’s Ministry of External Affairs canceling the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Alternative Reports
Reports said departures for the pilgrimage may have been halted for 48 to 72 hours because of safety concerns.
Number of pilgrims
Reported Interpretations
A travel operator reported that 390 pilgrims, including 93 Nepali nationals, were scheduled to cross the border.
Alternative Reports
Preliminary data from the Nepal Tourism Board listed 384 travelers, while another report identified 108 Indians in the group.
- Reported pilgrim count
- Reports cited 384 or 390 pilgrims scheduled to cross into Tibet.
- Contact status
- Only a few pilgrims had been contacted by 3 p.m., according to a travel operator.
- Nationality figures
- One report listed 93 Nepali nationals; another preliminary count listed 108 Indians.
- Destination
- The travelers were headed to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet.
- Flood impact
- The flooding damaged roads, bridges, settlements and at least a dozen hydropower projects, according to one report.
- Indian assistance
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered humanitarian support to Nepal.
- Relief aircraft
- Indian Air Force C-17, C-130J and C-295 aircraft were placed on standby; a C-130J was expected to carry relief material.
Sources
Nepal flash floods: Nearly 400 Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims out of contact; India keeps relief aircraft on standby
Nepal flash floods: Kailash Mansarovar yatra affected, close to 400 pilgrims out of contact
