Gandhinagar, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
At least 23 people linked to Gujarat remained missing or uncontactable on Friday following devastating flash floods near Nepal’s border with Tibet, with several among those untraced travelling on the Kailash Mansarovar route through Kerung, according to State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) and district emergency centre records.
The list, updated as of 12:54 p.m., includes Gujarat residents as well as Indian-origin citizens of the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. One person initially reported uncontactable, Roma Intwala of Valsad, has since been confirmed safe in Nepal, state records said.
Among those untraced are Ahmedabad residents Kinnari Patel and Mihir Patel, who travelled with Richa Tours Pvt Ltd on August 23 for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Kerung. Their last contact was recorded at 4:51 a.m. on August 26.
From Anand, Bimalkumar Patel and Jaimina Patel, both Indian-origin US citizens, were reported uncontactable after travelling through Namaste Nepal Trekking and Research Hub on August 16.
Ahmedabad resident Ashok Kapadi, travelling with Samrat Tours and Travels, was last contacted at about 8:30 a.m. on August 26 while reportedly nearing the China border immigration centre.
Other names in the records include Rajkot-based Jay Kotecha; Surat-linked Paresh Patel, Jyoti Patel and Minaxi Ramani; and Amreli native Dinesh Patel, a US citizen. Paresh and Jyoti, who live in the US, were travelling with Hills & Trills Tour, Mumbai, and were last contacted around 8:10 a.m. on August 26.
Kheda-linked Umesh Patel, Akansha Patel and Ishan Patel travelled by air from Delhi to Nepal and have not been contacted since August 25. Umesh and Akansha are Canadian citizens, while Ishan is an American citizen. Shilpa Patel, also linked to Kheda, travelled from Delhi to Nepal on August 26 and was reported uncontactable. She is listed as a US citizen residing in Dhramaj in Anand district.
From Gandhinagar, Australian citizen Bhavinkumar Raval was reported missing while travelling with Kailash Journeys via Kyirong. His last contact was recorded at about 5 a.m. on August 27.
Three other Gandhinagar-linked cases involve US citizens Amita Amin, Tejal Patel and Jitendra Patel, who were travelling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Nepal Trekking Planner. Their last known location was recorded in the Bagmati area near the Friendship Bridge.
The records also include Chauhan Babulal, alias Gomtibapu, from Jafrabad in Amreli. He reportedly left Jafrabad for Ayodhya on August 10 and was due to travel to Nepal with a group. His phone has reportedly remained unreachable since August 11.
Two Anand-linked cases concern Padma Patel and Jagdish Patel, both associated with Jalundh in Khambhat taluka. Jagdish travelled on August 22 with Himalayan Glacier Adventure and Travel Company for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Bina Parikh, based in Ahmedabad and also residing in Queens, New York, travelled with Trekking Planner Travel Agency on August 21. Her family informed authorities that they had been unable to contact her since August 24.
Poonam Thakkar, who travelled with Himalayan Glacier on August 25, was also reported uncontactable. She holds US and Canadian citizenship, according to the records.
The Valsad case involving Roma Intwala has since been resolved, with authorities confirming her safety in Nepal and informing the Valsad Mamlatdar.
The disaster struck Rasuwa district near the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, severely affecting the Rasuwagadhi crossing and surrounding areas. The route is a key overland gateway for private Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimages, with travellers generally moving from Kathmandu through Rasuwa and Timure before crossing into Tibet through the Gyirong, or Kerung, border.
The flash floods swept away roads, bridges and other infrastructure, leaving many travellers cut off from communication.
The Indian government is monitoring the situation through the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. The Centre has said there is no need for panic and that reports concerning missing Indian tourists are being followed up by the MEA and the embassy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken to Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah and conveyed condolences over the loss of lives in the floods.
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