Seventy-seven pilgrims associated with spiritual leader Sadhguru's Isha Foundation are currently out of contact following a devastating flash flood that struck Gyirong in Tibet, China. The group was reportedly at an immigration center, en route back from the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, when the flood occurred.
Sadhguru, founder of the Isha Foundation, expressed his deep anguish, confirming the incident on Wednesday. He stated that the immigration office and much of the surrounding town appeared to have been inundated. “There has been no official information on the whereabouts of any of the people who were at the immigration office,” Sadhguru said in a statement. The missing individuals are from 19 different countries.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Sadhguru confirmed he is personally in the region to help coordinate rescue efforts. He emphasized that volunteers and support teams are working tirelessly with authorities to reach the affected area, ready to assist “regardless of the risk involved.”
Out of 21 groups participating in the pilgrimage, 495 people had safely returned. Another 743 pilgrims remain in Tibet, 148 in Nepal, and three volunteers are in Timure, Nepal. The 77 missing individuals constitute a significant concern for the Foundation and their families.
India Coordinates Assistance
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is actively coordinating with the Nepalese government to aid in the rescue of Indian nationals affected by the floods along the Nepal-Tibet border. The broader flood event has caused widespread devastation in central Nepal, resulting in nearly 100 fatalities and leaving over 750 people missing, including 133 Indian nationals.
The disaster has crippled infrastructure, washing away critical bridges and impacting around a dozen hydropower projects. India has promptly dispatched 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance and essential medicines to Nepal. The relief package, flown on an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft, includes temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, and medical supplies, underscoring the urgency of the situation.