( Atleast 95 people are feared dead, UP Bihar borders on high alert, IAF deploys two choppers with relief material)
BY DEBASHREE CHAKRABORTY
NEW DELHI | 26 AUGUST 2026
A devastating flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River has thrown public life into chaos in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, leaving at least 384 tourists missing near the Nepal-Tibet border. The missing individuals were all part of a trekking group heading toward Tibet for the annual Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra. Atleast 95 people are dead, sources said.
According to local tourism authorities, the disaster struck early Wednesday morning just as the group of nearly 400 travelers was preparing to cross the border. “Preparations were underway to cross into Tibet with about 400 tourists, including 93 Nepalese citizens,” said Basukumar Adhikari, a Kathmandu-based tourism agency official. The Nepal Tourism Board confirmed that 291 of the missing individuals are foreigners, which includes 141 Indian nationals. Out of the missing Indians, 37 have been identified as Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
A massive search and rescue operation has been launched by the Nepal administration to locate the stranded pilgrims. The Nepal Tourism Board has issued an urgent advisory warning tourists to completely avoid the flood-affected zones. Emergency response teams can be reached within Nepal via the toll-free emergency number 1234, Hotline 1144, or the Tourist Police at 9851289445.
In response to the crisis, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has set up two dedicated 24/7 helpline numbers—+977 985 131 6807 and +977 970 910 7500—urging anyone with information regarding the missing Indian nationals to get in touch immediately. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with Nepali authorities to monitor the situation and has pledged India’s full support and resources for the ongoing rescue efforts.
Following the devastating landslide and flash flood, communication remained severely limited, with only a few individuals reachable by noon. The torrents caused extensive infrastructure damage across Rasua district, destroying multiple roads, bridges, homes, and vehicles. Anxieties peaked as reports emerged that roughly 400 tourists had gone missing near Rasuagari. Among them are three distinct groups of Indian travelers, consisting of 59 and 46 citizens, along with 37 non-resident Indians (NRIs), all booked through three separate tour operators. The missing international contingent also includes 17 Malaysians, 12 British nationals, four South Africans, three Americans, one Australian, and one Dutch citizen, while the nationalities of 111 other foreign tourists remain unidentified.
The catastrophe has triggered painful memories of the 1998 Malpa landslide in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh, a disaster that claimed 211 lives, including 60 Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrims. This historical parallel has sparked fresh panic among current pilgrims and their anxious families. Sagar Pandey, president of the Nepal Trekking Association, assured that exhaustive efforts are underway to establish contact with the stranded travelers, emphasizing that tracing their locations and launching immediate rescue operations remain the highest priorities.
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