Lost 80 people: Sadhguru appeals for access to Tibet's flood-hit Gyirong

Shortly after the flood struck Tibet's Gyirong, Sadhguru said 77 pilgrims from one of his Kailash pilgrimage groups were at an immigration centre there. The group, which was returning from the Kailash pilgrimage, had stopped at the centre when floodwaters surged through the building.Sadhguru appealed to Chinese authorities for access to Tibet's Gyirong to look for the missing pilgrims.Spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev on Thursday appealed to Chinese authorities to allow him and a small team of volunteers to travel to Gyirong, Tibet, to help search for 80 pilgrims who went missing after a devastating flash flood swept through the town bordering Nepal.Shortly after the flood struck Gyirong on Wednesday, the Isha Foundation founder said 77 pilgrims from one of his Kailash pilgrimage groups were at an immigration centre there.The group, which was returning from the Kailash pilgrimage, had stopped at the centre when floodwaters surged through the building.In an appeal to the authorities, Sadhguru said he was writing “in absolute pain” over "losing 80 people from our group in the floods in Gyirong. We have no further information after the floods." Sadhguru said he and the families of the missing pilgrims were requesting permission to travel to Gyirong, where they wanted to assist in the search.“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 said he was currently in Saga and requested permission to travel to the flood-hit town, adding that such facilitation would be “invaluable” to the families who have had no information about their loved ones.The flash flood was triggered by a glacial avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border, causing widespread destruction across the region and leaving hundreds dead or missing.In Nepal, the disaster has killed 163 people and left more than 750 missing, including 133 Indian pilgrims, according to officials.In Gyirong, 558 people remain missing as of Thursday, including 260 foreign nationals.The disaster began after a powerful landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border generated a seismic signal equivalent to a 5.2-magnitude earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey. The landslide sent a huge volume of ice, rock, mud and water into the Lhende Khola, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi river.Rescuers have been using helicopters to search for survivors and deliver emergency supplies to thousands stranded in the rugged mountainous region, which is a key route between Lhasa and Kathmandu.- EndsPublished On: Aug 27, 2026 09:54 IST