An 80-member group linked to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation remains out of contact after a devastating flash flood in Nepal, killing over 469 people as of now and leaving over 1000 missing, struck the Gyirong area near the Tibet-Nepal border, turning a spiritual pilgrimage into a desperate search for missing people.
The group was returning from the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage when the flash flood hit.
According to the Isha Foundation, 77 pilgrims were at the immigration centre in Gyirong, Tibet, while three volunteers were in Timure, Nepal, when contact was lost.
The 77 pilgrims at Gyirong have been identified by the Isha Foundation as foreign nationals, with reports indicating participants from countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany. They were at the immigration facility while completing formalities to return from the pilgrimage when the flood struck.
The Isha Foundation said there has been no confirmed information on their whereabouts following the disaster.
Floodwaters reportedly inundated the immigration building and large parts of the surrounding town.
Sadhguru appealed to Chinese authorities for permission to enter Gyirong with a small team of volunteers so they can assist search-and-rescue efforts. He has said the team is ready to work alongside authorities and will not obstruct official rescue operations.
The missing group was part of Isha Foundation’s annual Kailash pilgrimage programme.
The foundation said 495 pilgrims from its 21 groups had already returned safely, while others remained in Tibet and Nepal when the disaster struck.
Rescue Efforts Face Challenges
The incident has added an international dimension to an already devastating Himalayan disaster.
Gyirong lies on the Tibetan side of the border, while Timure and Rasuwagadhi are on the Nepalese side. The flash flood severely damaged roads and border infrastructure, complicating access and communications.
For families waiting for news, the crisis is now less about the scale of the disaster and more about a single unanswered question: what happened to the people who were inside the Gyirong immigration centre when the water arrived?
For the families of those who remain unaccounted for, the biggest concern is the absence of confirmed information about their loved ones.
The remote Himalayan terrain, damaged infrastructure and the location of the missing pilgrims across the Tibet-Nepal border have made rescue and communication efforts particularly challenging.
The situation highlights the complexities of responding to a disaster that has affected people on both sides of an international frontier.
While Nepalese authorities continue search-and-rescue operations in flood-hit areas, access to Gyirong on the Chinese side remains crucial to determining the fate of those last seen at the immigration centre.
Sadhguru’s request for access reflects the urgency of the situation, with the Isha Foundation seeking to place volunteers on the ground to support the ongoing rescue efforts.
For now, families and fellow pilgrims are waiting for authorities to establish contact and provide verified information about the missing group.
The search for the 80 people has therefore become a race against time, with every confirmed sighting or piece of information potentially offering a breakthrough to families waiting for answers.
Also Read: Nepal-Tibet Flash Floods: Dalai Lama Offers Prayers, Urges Action To Prevent Future Disasters
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