Bengaluru, August 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Isha Foundation has expressed grave concern for the safety of 80 participants of its Kailash Sojourn group who were at Gyirong Port when a devastating flood struck the area, saying the scale of destruction and information received from people on the ground had led it to “expect the worst”.
In an update to the participants’ families and well-wishers, the foundation said Chinese authorities were conducting search and rescue operations at Gyirong Port, with personnel and equipment deployed at the site.
The rescue operation was temporarily suspended on August 28 because of the risk of another flood but resumed by noon local time, the organisation said.
“We wish with all our hearts that we could offer you something more hopeful. Everything our teams have seen, and everything those closest to the site have shared with us, has led us to expect the worst,” the foundation said.
Isha Foundation said its teams had been positioned at the closest permitted locations on both sides of the Nepal-China border. Its team in China was about 25 km from Gyirong and was maintaining direct contact with frontline rescue teams and officials.
A coordination team on the Nepal side was stationed in Kathmandu because access to the affected area had been restricted. The organisation said the devastation in Nepal was extensive, with roads washed away and movement severely disrupted.
The foundation said it was coordinating with the Office of the Prime Minister of India, Indian embassies in Kathmandu and Beijing, the Nepali Army’s search and rescue team, Nepal Tourist Police and the Rescue Control Board.
Information about the missing participants, including phone-signal data, had been shared with frontline rescue teams to assist search efforts. The organisation was also monitoring lists of rescued people and checking them against the names of its participants.
“So far, there has been no released list of rescued individuals from the Chinese port that includes members of our group,” it said. Lists issued by the Nepal government identifying survivors from downstream areas also did not include any members of the group, according to the statement.
The foundation said local sources estimated that the valley at Gyirong Port was buried under 45-50 feet of silt and debris following the flood.
Local experts familiar with the terrain reportedly told its team that survival was highly unlikely given the force of the flooding. The organisation also said floodwaters mixed with debris may have risen as high as 150 feet and “completely wiped out the whole building complex”.
Isha Foundation said it had cross-checked visuals of the destruction with multiple local sources and people with direct knowledge of the situation. However, it acknowledged that access to the affected area remained restricted and that it could not independently verify every detail.
“Everything in this update reflects our best understanding as of now, drawn from the authorities, published reporting, and people on the ground,” it said.
The foundation expressed solidarity with the families of the 80 participants and others affected by the disaster, saying it would continue to share updates as further information became available.
“Sadhguru and the whole Isha community are with you,” it said.
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