At least 23 people linked to Gujarat remained missing or uncontactable on Friday following devastating flash floods near Nepal's border with Tibet, with several of them travelling on the Kailash Mansarovar route through Kerung, according to records of the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) and district emergency centres.
The list, updated as of 12:54 p.m., includes residents of Gujarat as well as Indian-origin citizens of the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. One person initially reported uncontactable, Roma Intwala of Valsad, has since been confirmed safe in Nepal, according to state records.
Among those on the list are Ahmedabad residents Kinnari Patel and Mihir Patel, who travelled on August 23 with Richa Tours Pvt Ltd for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Kerung. Their last contact was recorded at 4:51 a.m. on August 26, and both remained untraceable.
From Anand, Bimalkumar Patel and Jaimina Patel, who travelled on August 16 through Namaste Nepal Trekking and Research Hub, were also listed as untraceable. Both are US citizens of Indian origin.
Another case concerns Ashok Kapadi from Ahmedabad, who was travelling with Samrat Tours and Travels on the Kailash Mansarovar route. He was last contacted around 8:30 a.m. on August 26, when he was reportedly about to reach the China border immigration centre.
The list also includes Rajkot-based Jay Kotecha, whose case was reported missing at the SEOC, as well as Paresh Patel, Jyoti Patel and Minaxi Ramani, all linked to Surat. Paresh and Jyoti, who reside in the US, were travelling with Hills & Trills Tour, Mumbai, and were last contacted around 8:10 a.m. on August 26. Minaxi Ramani was also travelling on the Kailash Mansarovar route and is understood to reside in Mumbai.
Dinesh Patel, an Amreli native and US citizen, was reported missing by a contact in Ahmedabad.
Umesh Patel, Akansha Patel and Ishan Patel, all linked to Kheda, were travelling from Delhi to Nepal by air. According to the records, no contact had been established with them after August 25. Umesh and Akansha are Canadian citizens, while Ishan is an American citizen.
Shilpa Patel, also linked to Kheda, was reported uncontactable by Mukti Patel. She travelled from Delhi to Nepal by flight on August 26 and is listed as a US citizen. Her residence was given as Dhramaj in Anand district.
From Gandhinagar, Bhavinkumar Raval was reported missing while travelling with Kailash Journeys via Kyirong. His last contact was recorded around 5 a.m. on August 27. He is an Australian citizen originally from Gandhinagar.
Three other Gandhinagar-linked cases involve Amita Amin, Tejal Patel and Jitendra Patel, all US citizens travelling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Nepal Trekking Planner. Their last known location was recorded as the Bagmati area near the Friendship Bridge.
The state records also include Chauhan Babulal, also known as Gomtibapu, from Jafrabad in Amreli. According to information provided to authorities, he left Jafrabad for Ayodhya on August 10 and was due to travel to Nepal with a group. His phone was reportedly unreachable from August 11. His record mentions travel through Himalayan Glacier Adventure and Travel Company.
Two further cases from Anand concern Padma Patel and Jagdish Patel, both linked to Jalundh in Khambhat taluka. Jagdish had travelled on August 22 with Himalayan Glacier Adventure and Travel Company for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
The list also names Bina Parikh, based in Ahmedabad with an overseas residence in Queens, New York. She travelled on August 21 with Trekking Planner Travel Agency, and her family told authorities that no contact had been established with her since August 24.
Poonam Thakkar, who travelled on August 25 with Himalayan Glacier, was also reported uncontactable. She is recorded as holding US and Canadian citizenship.
The Valsad case involving Roma Intwala stands out as authorities have subsequently confirmed that she is safe in Nepal. The state record said the Valsad Mamlatdar was informed of her safety.
The disaster struck Nepal's Rasuwa district near the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, with the Rasuwagadhi crossing and surrounding areas among the worst affected. The route is a major overland gateway for private Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimages, with travellers moving from Kathmandu through Rasuwa and Timure before crossing into Tibet through the Gyirong, or Kerung, border.
The flash floods swept away roads, bridges and other infrastructure along the route, leaving large numbers of travellers stranded and cut off from communication.
The Indian government has been monitoring the situation through the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. The Centre has said there is no need for panic and that reports of missing Indian tourists are being followed up by the MEA and the embassy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah and conveyed his condolences over the loss of lives in the floods.
Meanwhile, the Nepal government has stepped up relief and rehabilitation efforts following the devastating floods.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his Council of Ministers on Friday decided to contribute one month's salary to the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund in response to the disaster. The decision was announced by the Prime Minister's Office following a Cabinet meeting.
The Cabinet also directed the Ministry of Finance to prepare a relief and rehabilitation package for individuals and business organisations affected by the floods in the Rasuwagadhi and Bhotekoshi River areas and downstream regions.
"The government has decided to deposit one month's salary/wages of all members of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers in the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund," the PMO said in a statement following the meeting.
The Cabinet also gave in-principle approval to the Krishi Samagri Company Limited to purchase 25,000 metric tonnes of DAP fertiliser from India through government-to-government (G2G) procurement.
The meeting focused on decisions related to the damage caused by the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi area of Rasuwa, as well as ongoing rescue, relief and reconstruction efforts.
The crisis began on August 26 when a catastrophic flash flood struck the Tibet-Nepal border, sending a powerful surge of water, sediment and boulders through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems and causing widespread destruction.
Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath, while authorities in Nepal and India coordinate rescue, relief and efforts to trace people who remain unaccounted for.
