SRINAGAR: A man from jammu and kashmir who travelled to Nepal for the Mansarovar Yatra is among the Indians reported missing following the devastating flash floods in Nepal, with the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu adding his name to its list of missing and untraceable persons.
Suhail Gupta, a resident of House No. 7, Sector 9, Trikuta Nagar, Ward No. 53, Jammu, had travelled to Nepal for the Mansarovar Yatra. His family last spoke to him on the evening of August 25, when he was near the Nepal-Tibet border.
The family lost contact with Gupta after that and became concerned about his whereabouts. It subsequently approached Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh for assistance in tracing him.
A letter was later sent to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, seeking help from the authorities in locating Gupta.
The Indian Embassy in Nepal has now responded to the matter and informed the family that Gupta’s name has been added to the list of missing and untraceable people. The embassy has also contacted his brother, Amit Gupta, who is residing in Kathmandu.
The embassy said efforts were being made to trace Gupta through online tracking. The family has also sought assistance from the media and search-and-rescue teams in Nepal to help locate him.
The embassy said it has remained in regular contact with the Government of Nepal and other concerned authorities since the flash floods struck on August 26. Several other people have also been reported missing following the disaster, with authorities continuing efforts to gather information and trace them.
The Ministry of External Affairs has reported that 275 Indian nationals remain missing following the devastating flash floods in Nepal, while 169 Indians have been rescued.
The disaster, according to the information provided, was triggered on August 26 after a massive Himalayan glacier collapse near the Tibet border, sending mud, rocks and water through the Trishuli and Bhotekoshi river corridors.
The floods caused extensive destruction, with villages affected, thousands of buildings damaged and critical trade routes and hydropower infrastructure severely impacted. The disaster has reportedly left more than 1,300 people dead and over 5,000 missing.
Search-and-rescue operations have faced severe challenges, with settlements along an estimated 45-mile stretch reportedly buried under thick layers of mud and debris.
Scientists have linked the heightened vulnerability of Himalayan areas to climate-related hazards, noting that rising global temperatures and warming permafrost may destabilise steep hanging glaciers. The disaster has underscored the risks faced by Himalayan communities from cascading hazards during the monsoon season.
Meanwhile, Gupta’s family continues to await information about his whereabouts and safety as efforts to trace him remain under way.
