All Indians on the pilgrimage trail of Mt. Kailash left China after flash floods in Nepal: MEA

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. File | Photo credit: PTI

The 2026 Kailash Manasarovar Yatra has officially ended with all Indian pilgrims leaving the Chinese territory bordering Nepal following flash floods in the Bhote Koshi River on August 26, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday (September 4, 2026).

MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that 275 Indian nationals are still missing and 169 Indians have been rescued. He further said that the total number of missing persons may fluctuate a bit in the coming days as some survivors are still being discovered in different areas of the vast area of ​​the affected region.

Flash floods in Nepal Live

The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra 2026 was announced by the MEA on April 30 and the pilgrimage was to be held from June to August. This year, 10 batches of 50 pilgrims and travelers each were scheduled to travel through Lipulekh Pass and Nathu La Pass.

In addition to the Mount Kailash tour with the help of the Indian government, travelers who chose private tour operators took the Nepalese route through the Gyirong border crossing in China. On August 26, a significant number of pilgrims and travelers went missing from the border port of Gyirong, which was hit by flash floods.

Official sources said that after the evacuation of the private Indian travelers, all the Indians left the Tibetan region adjacent to Nepal, which hosts travelers during the season when the Chinese authorities allow the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. During China’s official season to visit Kailash, some international travelers also travel to the mountain via major Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

Published – 04 Sep 2026 23:07 IST