Severe flooding in Nepal's Rasuwa district on 26 August 2025 has disrupted passenger movement at the Rasuwagadhi border crossing, forcing thousands of travellers — including Indian Kailash-Manasarovar pilgrims — to reroute through the Tatopani crossing in Sindhupalchok and the Hilsa crossing in Humla. Nepal's Department of Immigration confirmed the development in a statement on Monday evening, adding that it is coordinating with relevant government agencies to ensure smooth immigration management at the alternative points.

Scale of the Disaster

The 26 August flood swept through areas surrounding Rasuwagadhi, damaging critical infrastructure including the immigration office at the crossing. According to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the floods have so far claimed 1,395 lives, with a further 5,130 people missing as of Monday evening. Several pilgrims who were travelling through Rasuwagadhi towards Kailash-Manasarovar at the time of the floods remain out of contact, authorities said.

Traffic Shifts to Tatopani and Hilsa

Since the disruption, passenger movement at the two alternative crossings has increased substantially. Between 26 August and 14 September, as many as 3,904 passengers entered Nepal through Tatopani, including 1,733 women, while 391 passengers departed Nepal for China via the same route. At Hilsa, 387 passengers entered Nepal during the same period, of whom 165 had originally departed Nepal for China through Rasuwagadhi. Meanwhile, 178 passengers exited Nepal for China via Hilsa. Among foreign nationals using these crossings, Indian, British, and US citizens constituted the largest groups, immigration authorities said.

Significance for Indian Pilgrims

Indian nationals constitute the largest share of pilgrims travelling to Kailash-Manasarovar through Nepal. The pilgrimage for Indian citizens resumed last year after a five-year hiatus that followed India-China border tensions stemming from the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Beijing and New Delhi agreed to restore the yatra after diplomatic engagement. Last year's quota for Indian pilgrims stood at 20,000; China increased the figure to 24,000 Indian passport holders travelling through Nepal for the current pilgrimage season.

Why Nepal Routes Dominate

Although India maintains two alternative routes to Kailash-Manasarovar — through the Lipulekh Pass and the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim — the Indian government caps annual pilgrim numbers through these corridors at just 1,000, with 500 allocated through each route. Given this constraint, the vast majority of Indian pilgrims opt to travel privately through Nepal, which currently offers four routes to the holy site: the Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi land crossings, the Hilsa crossing, and the Kathmandu-Lhasa air route.

What Happens Next

The Rasuwagadhi crossing remains disrupted, and no timeline for its restoration has been announced. The Department of Immigration said it will continue coordinating with government agencies to facilitate movement through Tatopani and Hilsa. With the current pilgrimage season ongoing and the quota raised to 24,000 Indian pilgrims, pressure on the two alternative crossings is expected to remain elevated until Rasuwagadhi is rehabilitated.