Pune, 27th August 2026: Four residents of Pune travelling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra are reportedly stranded in Tibet following devastating flash floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, which borders China’s Tibet region. The four pilgrims have been identified as Smita Pawar, Yogini Patil, Dinesh Bhosale and Pooja Bhosale.
The four had travelled to China on valid group visas for the pilgrimage and are reportedly staying at a hotel in Gyirong town in Tibet. Following information about their situation, the Pune district administration has started coordinating with the concerned authorities to establish contact with the pilgrims and confirm their safety.
The pilgrims are among travellers affected by the massive flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Nepal’s Rasuwa district. The flood swept through villages on Wednesday morning, causing widespread destruction in the region near the China border and affecting the route used by pilgrims travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar.
Initial reports said at least 157 people had died and more than 400 were missing or out of contact, including around 133 Indians. The large number of missing people has raised concerns over the safety of Indian and other foreign nationals travelling through the affected region.
The US Geological Survey said the seismic activity initially reported as an earthquake was instead linked to a glacial collapse and debris flow. The event caused what the agency described as catastrophic downstream impacts in Nepal and Tibet.
The sudden flooding caused extensive damage to settlements and infrastructure, while rescue teams continued efforts to reach affected areas and establish contact with people who remain unaccounted for.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal later said the death toll had risen to 160, while thousands of people remained untraced. Describing the scale of the destruction, Khanal said, “Town after town have been wiped out within hours.”
“Thousands of families have lost homes and are missing as of now. We are still trying to ascertain the full extent of the disaster,” Khanal said while speaking at the NDTV World Anviksha Summit in Kathmandu.
The safety of Indian nationals has become a major concern because the affected area is used by pilgrims travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar. Khanal said nearly 300 Indian nationals, mostly Mansarovar pilgrims, had been reported missing or out of contact.
“Close to 300 Indians have been reported missing and the government is trying to establish contact with them,” Khanal said. He added that Nepal was coordinating with the embassies of different countries to trace foreign nationals affected by the disaster.
Around 500 foreign nationals were reported to be out of contact. Khanal said the Nepal government remained committed to the safety of foreign nationals as well as its own citizens.
“We are as committed to the safety and well-being of foreign nationals as we are to the Nepali citizens,” he said.
The Pune district administration has started follow-up efforts with the relevant agencies to obtain information about the four pilgrims. Officials are working to establish direct contact with Smita Pawar, Yogini Patil, Dinesh Bhosale and Pooja Bhosale and ascertain their current condition.