Highlights:
- Deepak Ahuja, 60, and Madhu Ahuja, 57, remain missing after the disaster.
- Their phone was last pinged around 9 am on Wednesday (26) near Gyirong, Tibet.
- Nearly 300 Indian nationals are reportedly among those missing in the disaster.
- The couple was travelling with a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage group.
- Severed roads, damaged infrastructure and communications are hampering rescue efforts.
The Himalayan tragedy has left families on both sides of the Nepal-Tibet border gripped by fear and uncertainty. Among those anxiously awaiting word are relatives of Deepak and Madhu Ahuja, an American couple who travelled from the United States to undertake the sacred Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage.
The couple, both Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders, was returning from the pilgrimage when devastating flash floods and landslides struck the border region. Their last known location was near the Gyirong Immigration Facility in Tibet, after which all contact was lost.
Last known whereabouts
According to their family and tour operators, the Ahujas were part of Group S3 and had travelled with Isha Sacred Walks and Trekkers Society. They were last seen in Saga, Tibet, where they met Sadhguru with fellow pilgrims before beginning their journey south toward Nepal.
Their phone was reportedly last detected around 9 a.m. local time on August 26 at the Gyirong immigration facility.
The planned journey was straightforward: clear immigration at Gyirong, cross into Timure in Nepal and travel through Rasuwa toward Kathmandu. From there, the couple was expected to fly to Delhi before returning to the United States.
Disaster cuts off border region
That journey was shattered by extreme weather. Heavy rainfall triggered flash floods and massive mudslides in the border region, damaging roads and bridges and leaving parts of the area virtually inaccessible.
An avalanche of ice and rock, believed to have been linked to a glacial lake outburst, contributed to the flooding. The disaster struck critical infrastructure around Gyirong and Timure, leaving rescue teams facing dangerous terrain and severely disrupted communications.
Nepalese authorities have reported 177 bodies recovered, while hundreds remain unaccounted for. Nearly 300 Indian nationals are believed to be among those missing, including pilgrims travelling through the region.
Family clings to hope
For the Ahuja family, the growing death toll has made the silence even more painful. Their relatives are appealing to rescue workers, hospitals, shelters and local volunteers in Gyirong, Timure, Syabrubesi, Rasuwa and Nuwakot to look for any record of the couple.
Because Deepak and Madhu are US citizens, their family says emergency welfare inquiries have also been initiated with American diplomatic authorities. Indian diplomatic officials have likewise provided emergency helplines as rescue efforts continue.
With roads washed away and communication networks badly affected, families are left waiting for even the smallest sign that their loved ones survived.
For the Ahuja family, the pilgrimage that began as a deeply meaningful spiritual journey has turned into a heartbreaking search for two people whose fate remains unknown.
