All Indians on Mt. Kailash pilgrim trail have left China following flash floods in Nepal: MEA
The 2026 Kailash Manasarovar Yatra has concluded following flash floods in Nepal that left hundreds of Indian pilgrims missing or requiring rescue. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that all remaining Indian nationals have now been evacuated from the affected Tibetan border region.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the risks associated with cross-border religious tourism and the logistical challenges of disaster management in remote Himalayan regions.
The 2026 Kailash Manasarovar Yatra has officially ended with all Indian pilgrims having left Chinese territory bordering Nepal , following the flash floods in the Bhote Koshi River on August 26, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday (September 4, 2026).
MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that 275 Indian nationals remain missing till now and 169 Indians have been rescued. He further indicated that the total number of missing persons may fluctuate a bit in the days to come as some survivors are still being discovered in various areas of the vast stretch of the disaster-hit region.
The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra 2026 was announced by the MEA on April 30 and the pilgrimage was to take place between June to August. This year 10 batches, each consisting of 50 pilgrims and travellers, were scheduled to travel through Lipulekh pass and Nathu La pass.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in