Kathmandu, Aug 29 (V7N)- At least 290 Indian pilgrims have reportedly gone missing after sudden floods, landslides and avalanches struck the Nepal-Tibet border during the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
According to figures released by the Nepal government, the total number of people reported missing in the disaster has reached 537.
Among the missing Indian pilgrims are 43-year-old medical technologist Subhashree Chakraborty from Kolkata and 54-year-old homemaker Reena Banerjee.
Subhashree had travelled from Kolkata with a group of around 30 people on August 21. After passing through Kathmandu, the group reached the Nepal-China border entry point at Sambruveshi on August 25.
On Wednesday (August 26) at 7:57 am, Subhashree sent her husband, Sudipta Bhattacharya, a photograph of her passport bearing a Nepal immigration departure stamp through WhatsApp.
Six minutes later, at around 8:03 am, she sent her final message, saying that they were waiting to enter China.
A few hours later, severe landslides and avalanches struck the border area. Since then, her family has been unable to establish contact with her.
The family of Reena Banerjee, who was travelling with the same group, is also facing uncertainty. Her relatives have not been able to confirm whether she was still on the Nepalese side of the border or had crossed through the Gyirong immigration point into China.
The families said they have also been unable to contact the tour operators or other organisers accompanying the group.
They have urged the governments of Nepal and China to immediately publish a comprehensive list of rescued, missing and injured pilgrims.
The sudden disaster has left hundreds of families anxiously waiting for information about their loved ones, with rescue and search efforts continuing in the mountainous border region.
END/SMA/AJ
