Nepal floods: Karnataka issues helplines as 8 Bengalureans go missing
Synopsis
Four Bengaluru-origin NRIs from the US, on a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, are among eight Karnataka residents missing in Nepal's devastating floods — last seen near the Chinese Embassy on 26 August. Karnataka has dispatched a senior officer to Kathmandu and is weighing a ministerial visit as helplines go live.
Key Takeaways
Eight people from Bengaluru are reported missing in the Nepal floods as of 27 August ; no deaths of Karnataka residents confirmed.
Four missing are Bengaluru-origin NRIs based in the US , who travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and were last traced near the Chinese Embassy on 26 August .
Karnataka has sent a senior officer to Kathmandu and is attempting to contact the Chinese Ambassador ; a ministerial visit is under consideration.
Emergency helplines activated: 1070 , 080-22253707 (domestic); +977 985 131 6807 , +977 970 910 7500 , +977 981 032 6117 (Nepal, also on WhatsApp).
KSDMA has contacted two stranded Karnataka residents — Mallinath Kolakundi and Sangamesh Kanakapura from Chincholi taluk, Kalaburagi district .
Floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border have disrupted travel and communication across several areas.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Thursday, 27 August confirmed that eight people from Bengaluru are reported missing in the ongoing floods in Nepal, while stating that no deaths of Karnataka residents have been confirmed so far. The state government has activated emergency helplines and deployed a senior officer to Kathmandu to coordinate relief efforts.
Key Developments
Among the eight missing, four are Bengaluru-origin NRI Kannadigas — currently residing in the United States — who had travelled to Nepal to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. They were reportedly near the Chinese Embassy in the flood-affected area on 26 August and have since been unreachable by friends and family. Their contacts alerted the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), which is now actively working to trace them.
Separately, a group of 25 people — including 23 from Hyderabad and two from Karnataka — had also travelled to Nepal and their status is being monitored. The KSDMA has, however, successfully established contact with two Karnataka residents who were stranded: Mallinath Kolakundi and Sangamesh Kanakapura, both from Chincholi taluk in Kalaburagi district.
Emergency Helplines Activated
The Karnataka government has issued the following emergency helpline numbers for those seeking information or assistance: 1070 and 080-22253707 for domestic callers. For those in Nepal or family members trying to reach stranded relatives, three Nepal-based numbers are operational: +977 985 131 6807, +977 970 910 7500, and +977 981 032 6117 — all available on WhatsApp.
Karnataka Minister for Home, Information and Biotechnology, and E-Governance Priyank Kharge urged Indian citizens stranded in Nepal and their families in India to use these numbers immediately for emergency support and information.
What the Government Said
Deputy CM Parameshwara said the government was yet to obtain details of the families of those reported missing and was making efforts to gather more information. He confirmed that a senior officer has been dispatched to Kathmandu and that the Karnataka government is also attempting to establish contact with the Chinese Ambassador in connection with the situation.
Parameshwara added that if circumstances demand it, the matter would be discussed with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and the government may consider sending a minister to Nepal to coordinate relief and assistance on the ground.
The Broader Disaster
Floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border have severely disrupted travel and communication across several areas, leaving a significant number of people stranded or untraceable. The disaster has affected Indian citizens beyond Karnataka, with reports of disruption to normal life in multiple parts of Nepal. The Karnataka government is coordinating with relevant authorities to ascertain the safety and whereabouts of all its residents in the affected region.
Rescue and tracing efforts are ongoing, and the government has urged all those affected to use the available helplines without delay.
Point of View
Given that the affected zone straddles the Nepal-Tibet border under Chinese administrative influence. The real question is whether state-level disaster machinery can move fast enough when the missing are foreign residents navigating a third country's terrain — and whether the Centre's involvement will be formalised before the situation deteriorates.
NationPress
27 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Karnataka residents are missing in the Nepal floods?
As of 27 August, eight people from Bengaluru are reported missing in the Nepal floods, according to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara. No deaths of Karnataka residents have been confirmed so far.
Who are the missing Bengaluru pilgrims in Nepal?
Four of the eight missing are Bengaluru-origin NRIs currently residing in the United States, who had travelled to Nepal to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. They were reportedly near the Chinese Embassy in the flood-affected area on 26 August and have been unreachable since.
What helpline numbers has the Karnataka government issued for Nepal floods?
Karnataka has activated domestic helplines 1070 and 080-22253707, and three Nepal-based numbers — +977 985 131 6807, +977 970 910 7500, and +977 981 032 6117 — all available on WhatsApp. Family members in India unable to reach relatives in Nepal can also use these numbers.
What steps is the Karnataka government taking to help those stranded in Nepal?
The Karnataka government has sent a senior officer to Kathmandu, activated emergency helplines, and is attempting to establish contact with the Chinese Ambassador. Deputy CM Parameshwara said the government may also send a minister to Nepal to coordinate relief if the situation requires it.
Have any Karnataka residents been found safe in the Nepal floods?
Yes, the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has successfully established contact with two stranded Karnataka residents — Mallinath Kolakundi and Sangamesh Kanakapura, both from Chincholi taluk in Kalaburagi district. Efforts to trace the remaining missing persons are ongoing.
