Nepal floods: 25 Gujarat residents, NRIs uncontactable near Bhote Koshi
Synopsis
At least 25 people linked to Gujarat — including NRIs from the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand — are uncontactable after Nepal's Bhote Koshi flash floods severed communications along the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage corridor. With Nepal's death toll at 616 and rising, families across seven Gujarat districts are waiting for word as rescue teams push into the damaged Rasuwa-Rasuwagadhi zone.
Key Takeaways
25 people linked to Gujarat are missing or uncontactable after flash floods along Nepal's Bhote Koshi river , per SEOC data as of 29 August .
Those affected have roots in Ahmedabad, Anand, Amreli, Kheda, Rajkot, Surat , and Valsad ; several hold citizenship in the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa , and New Zealand .
Most were travelling to Kailash Mansarovar via the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung corridor when communications failed.
Roma Intwala , initially listed as uncontactable, has since been reported safe in Nepal.
Nepal's overall flood death toll has risen to 616 , with search and rescue operations ongoing.
Roads, bridges, and communications infrastructure along the Rasuwa-Rasuwagadhi corridor have been severely damaged.
At least 25 people linked to Gujarat remain missing or uncontactable following devastating flash floods along Nepal's Bhote Koshi river near the Nepal-China border, according to data compiled by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) on Saturday, 29 August. The affected individuals include residents from across Gujarat as well as overseas citizens of Indian origin from multiple countries.
Who Is Uncontactable
The SEOC list covers people with roots in Ahmedabad, Anand, Amreli, Kheda, Rajkot, Surat, and Valsad. Several on the list hold citizenship in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. Most were travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar via the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung corridor when communications broke down in the mountainous border region.
Among those named: Kinnari and Mihir Patel of Vadodara, travelling with Richa Tours since 23 August; Bimalkumar Patel and Jaimina Patel of Anand, who departed on 16 August with Namaste Nepal Trekking and Research Hub; and Ashok Kapadi of Ahmedabad, last contacted at approximately 8:30 am near the China-border immigration centre on 25 August.
Three US residents with Ahmedabad roots — Paresh Patel, Jyoti Patel, and Minaxi Ramani — were last reached at around 8:10 am on 26 August while travelling through Richa Tours, with no contact established in the following 24 hours. The list additionally names Dinesh Patel, Umesh Patel, Akansha Patel, Ishan Patel, and Shilpa Patel, with American, Canadian, and Australian citizenship noted against several entries.
US citizen Bina Parikh, an NRI based in New York with an Indian address in the Usmanpura area of Ahmedabad, is also on the list; her last known location was the Nepal-Tibet/Kailash approach corridor along the Bhote Koshi river. The records further include Poonam Thakkar, a US-Canadian dual citizen from Ahmedabad now residing in Illinois, and Bavika Ramjee, a South African citizen linked to Surat.
Notably, Roma Intwala, listed in connection with the Friendship Bridge-Bhote Koshi River area, has subsequently been reported safe in Nepal. Padma Patel and Jagdish Patel of Anand were reported missing after reaching Delhi on 25 August for their onward Kailash Mansarovar journey.
Scale of the Disaster
The death toll from the Nepal flash floods has risen to 616 as of Saturday, with many more still missing, according to authorities. Search, rescue, and relief operations are continuing. The floods struck the Rasuwa-Rasuwagadhi corridor — a key pilgrimage route for Kailash Mansarovar-bound travellers — causing severe damage to roads, bridges, and communications infrastructure.
Families Await Word
Families across Gujarat have been attempting to reach relatives since communications were severed in the high-altitude border zone. The SEOC compiled the list based on information provided by distressed families. The disruption of the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung corridor has compounded rescue challenges, as the route is the primary overland passage for pilgrims from India heading towards Kailash Mansarovar through Nepal.
What Happens Next
Gujarat authorities are coordinating with central government agencies and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu to verify the status of those listed. Officials have not yet confirmed the number of fatalities among Gujarat-linked individuals. As rescue teams continue operations in the affected zones, further updates are expected in the coming days.
Point of View
Which runs through one of the world's most seismically and hydrologically unstable corridors. The presence of NRIs from five countries on the missing list underscores how little advance risk communication reaches diaspora pilgrims who often book through private tour operators with no government oversight. With a death toll of 616 and communications infrastructure in ruins, the gap between state emergency tracking and real-time ground information remains dangerously wide — a recurring failure every monsoon season.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people from Gujarat are missing or uncontactable after the Nepal floods?
At least 25 people linked to Gujarat have been reported missing or uncontactable following flash floods along Nepal's Bhote Koshi river, according to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) as of 29 August. The list includes residents from Ahmedabad, Anand, Amreli, Kheda, Rajkot, Surat, and Valsad, as well as overseas citizens of Indian origin.
Where were the Gujarat residents when contact was lost?
Most were travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar via the Rasuwagadhi-Kerung corridor near the Nepal-China border when communications were disrupted. Several were last contacted at points near the China-border immigration centre or along the Bhote Koshi river approach.
What is the overall death toll from the Nepal flash floods?
Nepal's flash flood death toll has risen to 616 as of Saturday, 29 August, with many more people still missing. Search, rescue, and relief operations are continuing in the affected areas.
Are any of the missing Gujarat residents NRIs or foreign citizens?
Yes. Several on the SEOC list hold citizenship in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. Among them are US citizen Bina Parikh from New York, dual US-Canadian citizen Poonam Thakkar from Illinois, and South African citizen Bavika Ramjee linked to Surat.
Has anyone from the Gujarat missing list been found safe?
Roma Intwala, listed in connection with the Friendship Bridge-Bhote Koshi River area, has subsequently been reported safe in Nepal. Authorities have not yet confirmed the status of the remaining individuals on the list.
