On the morning of the 26th, a massive flood hit the Himalayan mountain region in north-central Nepal bordering China, and it turned out that most of the missing were pilgrims heading to the Himalayan sacred mountain. They were gathered in a Nepalese border village to cross into Tibet's Mount Kailash, a holy site for Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, when the disaster struck suddenly.
On the 27th, the Nepal Ministry of Tourism said 826 people were missing in Nepal alone due to floods and landslides that occurred the day before. About 600 of them were foreigners. Nepalese outlet the Kathmandu Post reported that the missing included at least 177 Indian nationals, as well as 63 from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from the United Kingdom, and 25 from Canada.
Many of them were reportedly waiting in the border town of Rasuwa to begin the Kailash pilgrimage in Tibet. Rasuwa was the hardest-hit area in the floods and landslides. The pilgrims were set to pass through Nepal's Rasuwagadhi checkpoint on the morning of the 26th and cross into China's Tibet, Gyirong (Kerung). But around 8:30 a.m., floods and landslides swept the Bhotekoshi River area of Rasuwa, and most lost contact.
On the Chinese side, in Gyirong County, 558 people were also missing for the same reason. Of the missing tallied by China, about 260 were foreigners.
Mount Kailash is a rare place where one peak is simultaneously revered as sacred by Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon, Tibet's indigenous religion. Hindus regard the mountain as the abode where the god Shiva resides with his wife Parvati. Buddhists consider it the dwelling of the Buddha Demchok (Chakrasamvara), who symbolizes the joy of the highest state. Some also view Mount Kailash as Mount Sumeru, the mountain standing at the center of the world in the Buddhist cosmology. Jains believe that Rishabhanatha, the founder and first Tirthankara (savior), attained liberation on the mountain. Bon regards the mountain as a spiritual pillar.
For this reason, although its summit rises to 6,638 meters above sea level—lower than the many 8,000-meter-class peaks in the Himalayas—no one has ever stood on its top. Citing its sanctity, the Chinese government does not issue permits to climb Mount Kailash.
Pilgrims likewise do not climb the mountain but walk around it. This circumambulation route around the mid-slope is called "kora." Buddhists and Hindus walk clockwise, while Bon practitioners go counterclockwise. The kora stretches about 52 kilometers and is usually completed over three days. On day one, pilgrims walk 18–20 kilometers and sleep at Dirapuk Monastery; on day two, they cross the Dolma La pass at 5,630 meters above sea level. It is a section that requires walking through an elevation nearly three times higher than Hallasan's summit. On day three, they return to the starting point, Darchen. They believe that completing one kora washes away sin, and that completing 108 circuits over a lifetime leads to liberation. In India, the entire pilgrimage is called the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and is considered the most important spiritual journey of one's life.
In particular, this year saw more pilgrims than usual after the Kailash pilgrimage, suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed after five full years. Nepal expected 25,000 Indian pilgrims to pass through the country this year. Citing experts, AP noted that August is the monsoon season and not suitable for climbing mountains, but the Kailash pilgrimage route via Rasuwa is in peak season. On the morning of the 26th, when floods and landslides struck, lines of pilgrims stood between the Nepal and China border checkpoints. India's Business Today reported on the 26th that 77 pilgrims sent by the Isha Foundation of India lost contact while staying at a border control facility on the Tibet side.
Experts said the damage was exacerbated because the road linking Rasuwagadhi, where the devastation was concentrated, to Tibet's Gyirong is the cheapest overland route to Kailash. Programs by Nepalese tour agencies that organize pilgrimages show that pilgrims typically choose one of four main routes: two overland routes operated by the Indian government, the Rasuwa overland route sold by Nepalese travel agencies, or the Simikot–Hilsa route that uses helicopters.
According to Nepal Nomad, a Nepal travel company, the Rasuwa overland route that suffered damage this time takes 14 days and costs $2,800–$3,200 (about 3.9 million–4.4 million won) per person. The route that uses a helicopter from Simikot is pricier at $4,300–$4,800 (about 6.0 million–6.7 million won), but the duration shortens to just over 10 days. In addition, hiring a pony and porter during the Kailash kora pilgrimage costs an extra $300–$500 (about 450,000–700,000 won).
CNN said the area hit by the floods and landslides was "an important gateway to the world-famous trekking region of the Langtang Valley and the Tamang Heritage Trail to the west of the Langtang Valley." It added that in addition to India and the United Kingdom, nationals from the United States, Italy, Portugal, Ukraine, Russia, and Belgium were also missing. Many of them are believed to have lost contact while trekking rather than on the Kailash pilgrimage.