Bengal’s 32 missing in Nepal, Pilgrims Missing in Devastating Nepal Deluge as State Mobilizes 24/7 Crisis Response and Emergency Helplines

Samar Mondal.and Sharmistha Bhowmik Roy

PTI and Agencies, KalimNews, Aug 28, 2026 :  Mounting anxiety and an agonizing vigil have gripped families across West Bengal as dozens of tourists and pilgrims from the state remain untraceable following catastrophic flash floods and mudslides along the Nepal-Tibet border. 

The disaster struck the Rasuwagadhi–Bhote Koshi corridor on Wednesday morning after a massive landslide and glacial debris flow upstream unleashed a violent deluge through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems, decimating riverfront settlements, washing away transit bridges, and severely disrupting regional communication and transport networks. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that rescue teams have recovered 123 bodies, while at least 245 people remain officially unaccounted for, including 83 security personnel.

Addressing an investiture ceremony at the Kolkata Police headquarters, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stated that around 150 Indian nationals are feared missing across the calamity zone. 

Out of an initial tally of 33 missing individuals from Bengal, administrative authorities have successfully established contact with one survivor who is confirmed safe, leaving 32 pilgrims untraceable from that specific contingent alone.

The untraceable group consists primarily of a 32-member delegation—comprising 30 Mount Kailash and Mansarovar pilgrims and two travel agency personnel from Kolkata—who departed on August 21. At least 21 members of the missing contingent are senior citizens. Disaster struck around 8:30 AM on Wednesday when the surge tore through the border immigration corridor near Kerung while the group was processing entry permits for Tibet, instantly wiping out local accommodations and severing all contact.

A breakdown of the missing individuals reveals a wide geographic footprint across West Bengal:

• Kolkata Core (4): Manas Kumar Ghosh (63, Santoshpur), Amarnath Pal (63, Baishnabghata Patuli), Rina Banerjee (54, Naktala/Khanpur Road), and Ranjit Kumar Howalder (63, Behala).

• South Bengal Districts: Five residents under the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate; three each from the Baruipur Police District and Chandannagore Police Commissionerate; two each from Barrackpore, Bidhannagar, Hooghly Rural, and Diamond Harbour; and one each from Howrah, Paschim Midnapore, Barasat, and Basirhat.

• North Bengal: Samar Mondal, a resident of the Shantinagar Bowbazar area in Siliguri, has also gone missing in the Rasuwa area while on his return journey from the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. After leaving Siliguri on August 16 and reaching Kathmandu the following day, Mondal had fallen ill during the yatra, separated from his group, and stayed behind in Rasuwa. He last contacted his family on Wednesday morning, confirming he was heading to the immigration checkpost to return to India, moments before the flash flood severed all links. While other members of his group are reported safe, Mondal remains uncontactable. Dabgram-Fulbari MLA Shikha Chatterjee visited the Mondal residence to offer support and confirmed the matter has been escalated to state authorities for prompt intervention.

• Notable Untraceable Pilgrims: Sharmistha Bhowmik Roy (daughter-in-law of the late politician Mukul Roy), retired educator Susmita Bhattacharya from Kasba, and software engineer Lopamudra Kundu from Sonarpur, alongside travelers from Durgapur, Tarakeswar, and Sankrail.

In contrast, other traveler groups further away from the epicenter have reported positive developments. A tour bus carrying 65 vacationers from Arambagh in Hooghly remains safely halted at Chetan Park, approximately 120 kilometers away from the disaster zone, with phone communication restored after a temporary blackout. Similarly, groups stationed in Pokhara valley, more than 100 kilometers from the affected belt, have established direct contact with their families to confirm their well-being.

The West Bengal government has expressed deep solidarity with the people of Nepal and ramped up inter-agency operations. High-level emergency control centers have been activated at the state secretariat Nabanna and the Kolkata Police headquarters, maintaining direct, round-the-clock coordination with the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and local tour operators.

To assist distressed families seeking immediate information regarding loved ones in the disaster zone, authorities have publicized emergency helplines:

• West Bengal Police Headquarters Control Desk: 033-24793311 | 9147890181

• Indian Embassy in Kathmandu Emergency Support: +977 985 131 6807 | +977 970 910 7500