Gyirong: Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has appealed to Chinese authorities to allow him and a small team of volunteers to travel to flood-hit Gyirong in Tibet to assist in the search for 80 pilgrims from his Kailash pilgrimage group who remain missing.
The appeal came after a devastating flash flood swept through the border town near Nepal, where the pilgrims were reportedly stranded while returning from the Kailash pilgrimage. According to Sadhguru, the group was at an immigration centre in Gyirong when floodwaters surged through the area.
Sadhguru said he was writing “in absolute pain” over the loss of contact with 80 members of the group and that no further information had been received about them after the floods.
Pilgrims were at immigration centre when flood struck
Shortly after the disaster, Sadhguru had said that 77 pilgrims from one of his Kailash pilgrimage groups were present at an immigration centre in Gyirong.
The group had stopped at the centre while returning from the pilgrimage when the floodwaters reportedly surged through the building.
As rescue operations continued, Sadhguru later said the number of people from the group with whom contact had been lost stood at 80.
He appealed to the Chinese authorities to permit him and a small group of volunteers to travel to Gyirong and assist in efforts to locate any signs of the missing pilgrims.
“We deeply respect and understand the nature of the rescue efforts and will in no way hamper them. Our only intent is to stand with them and aid in looking for some signs that would help the families,” he said.
Sadhguru added that he was currently in Saga and sought permission to travel to the disaster-hit town, saying such assistance would be invaluable for the families who had received no information about their loved ones.
Missing group includes pilgrims from several countries
In an emotional video shared on X, Sadhguru addressed a group of people about the devastating situation and read out details of those who remained missing.
He appeared visibly shaken while going through the information, repeatedly pausing as people around him could be heard weeping.
The missing pilgrims include people from several countries. According to Sadhguru, 22 are from the United States, 12 from Canada, 11 from Australia, nine from the United Kingdom and four from Germany, among others.
The final count given by him was 80 people, comprising 34 men and 46 women.
The group also includes three volunteers and a doctor.
The families of the missing pilgrims have joined the appeal seeking permission to travel to Gyirong and support efforts to locate their relatives.
Flood triggered widespread devastation
The flash flood was reportedly triggered by a massive landslide and avalanche event near the Nepal-Tibet border, causing widespread destruction across the mountainous region.
The disaster affected areas along important routes connecting Tibet and Nepal and left several communities and travellers stranded.
According to reports, the sudden movement of a huge volume of ice, rock, mud and water into the Lhende Khola, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi river, triggered destructive flooding downstream.
The event reportedly generated a seismic signal equivalent to a 5.2-magnitude earthquake, according to observations cited from the US Geological Survey.
The force of the flood caused extensive destruction in the region and disrupted communication and transport links, making rescue operations particularly challenging.
Hundreds dead or missing in disaster zone
The disaster has resulted in major casualties and a large number of missing persons across the affected region.
In Nepal, officials have reported that 163 people were killed and more than 750 remained missing, including 133 Indian pilgrims.
In Gyirong, 558 people were reported missing as of Thursday, including 260 foreign nationals.
The scale of the disaster has prompted a major search and rescue operation in the rugged Himalayan terrain.
Rescue teams have been using helicopters to search for survivors, evacuate people and deliver emergency supplies to thousands stranded in remote areas.
The difficult terrain, damaged roads and unpredictable conditions have complicated efforts to reach those affected by the disaster.
Families await information
For the families of the missing Kailash pilgrims, the lack of information has added to the anguish following the sudden disaster.
Sadhguru’s appeal has focused on securing permission for a small team to travel to Gyirong without interfering with the ongoing rescue operations.
He has maintained that the intention is to cooperate with the authorities and search teams and help identify any information that could provide answers to the families of those who remain missing.
As large-scale rescue efforts continue in the disaster-hit region, authorities face the difficult task of searching through remote and heavily affected mountainous areas.
The fate of the 80 missing pilgrims from Sadhguru’s group remains unknown, with their families and fellow pilgrims awaiting information as rescue teams continue their search in and around Gyirong.