At least 22 Indian American Kailash pilgrims among Americans missing in Nepal-Tibet floods

Highlights:

More than 400 people are confirmed dead and 90 Americans remain unaccounted for after catastrophic floods hit the Nepal-Tibet border, among them Indian American pilgrims from New York, Ohio and Texas who had traveled to Mount Kailash chasing a lifelong dream.

For families across the Indian American community this week, a sacred journey has turned into an agonizing silence.

Mount Kailash, revered by Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, draws pilgrims from the diaspora every year for a trek many describe as the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. This week, that dream collided with disaster. A suspected glacial collapse along the Nepal-Tibet border unleashed a wall of mud, rock and water that tore through the remote Himalayan corridor pilgrims use to cross into Tibet. The confirmed death toll has now passed 400, with more than 1,000 people still missing as rescue crews battle washed-out roads and severed communications.

Why it matters for Indian American families

Among the 90 Americans the State Department says remain unaccounted for are several Indian-origin pilgrims who had planned this trip for years. Jitendra Patel, 72, of Long Island, called his family on WhatsApp just after crossing into Tibet to say he'd made it across, that was the last anyone heard from him. His son, Sunny Patel, described him as an Uber driver who kept working in retirement simply because he loved talking to people, and said the news left him unable to believe his father could be at the center of the disaster.

Venus Rajnikant Patel, 45, an Indian-born U.S. citizen who had recently relocated from St. Louis to Cincinnati to be closer to family, had been planning the pilgrimage for two years. He called his brother and parents hours before the floods hit, showing them his hotel room and talking about how eager he was to finally cross into Tibet. His friends say they are still hoping, even as the odds grow longer by the day.

As mentioned by Nandini from Parmarth Niketan Ashram, "At this time, to the best of our knowledge, we are not aware of any pilgrims associated with Parmarth Niketan Ashram who have been affected by the floods or are currently unaccounted for. We are, however, continuing to keep everyone affected by this devastating tragedy in our thoughts and prayers.

With prayers for the safety, rescue, and well-being of all those affected.

A larger group, a shared fate

Spiritual leader Sadhguru said 77 people traveling with his Isha Foundation, including 22 Americans, many of Indian origin — were at an immigration checkpoint in Gyirong, Tibet, when the floods struck. Three have since been rescued. For families connected to the foundation, the wait has stretched into its third day.

The toll back home

India's foreign ministry says 288 Indian nationals remain missing, a figure that includes 73 laborers working on the Trishuli hydropower project, separate from the pilgrimage groups. Roughly 200 more Indian nationals are stranded, though safe, on the Chinese side of the border. Britain has confirmed 33 of its nationals missing as well, a reminder that this tragedy runs through diaspora communities in the US, the U.K. and India simultaneously.

What happens next

US officials say they are not yet aware of any confirmed American deaths, and search efforts continue using helicopters where roads no longer exist. But authorities have also warned of newly formed glacial lakes that could trigger further flooding, complicating an already difficult rescue. For the families of Jitendra Patel, Venus Patel and dozens of other Indian American pilgrims, the only thing to do now is wait for a phone to ring.