32 pilgrims from West Bengal missing after Nepal flash floods
A group of 32 pilgrims from West Bengal, including many senior citizens, are missing following flash floods in Nepal. Authorities are currently coordinating rescue and evacuation efforts to locate the group.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing risks associated with high-altitude religious tourism and the challenges of cross-border disaster management.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed on Thursday (August 27, 2026) that a group of 32 people from West Bengal who travelled for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra remain untraceable following the devastating flash floods in Nepal.
Nepal flash floods: Follow LIVE updates on August 27, 2026
Among the 32, at least 21 are senior citizens, and many others are in their late 50s. Sharmistha Bhowmik Roy, the daughter-in-law of the deceased politician Mukul Roy, is also part of the group, along with two tour operators.
“The Government of West Bengal is actively coordinating with the Embassy of India in Kathmandu and proper administrative channels,” Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari posted on social media.
The group had booked their trip with Cholo Jai, a travel agency in West Bengal, and started from Kolkata on August 21. Samrat Travels, their partner company, handles the Nepal portion of the trip.
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