U.S. officials said Thursday that approximately 90 American citizens are still unaccounted for following catastrophic flash floods that tore through the Nepal-Tibet border region, leaving hundreds dead. The State Department confirmed that three Americans have been rescued, but reported no U.S. fatalities so far.
Many of those missing were part of pilgrimages to Mount Kailash, a site revered by Hindus, Buddhists, and others. The disaster struck Wednesday, sweeping through the town of Gyirong in Tibet and nearby areas in Nepal, where many pilgrims had stopped at an immigration center.
Social media has become a lifeline for families desperately seeking information. Posts from loved ones plead for updates on a Virginia woman traveling with a tour group, a Texas couple celebrating a birthday, and a mother accompanying her 14-year-old daughter.
Ohio man among the missing
Venus Rajnikant Patel, a 45-year-old Indian-born U.S. citizen who had recently moved from St. Louis to Cincinnati to support his family, was on a guided tour. His brother Dennis said Venus called hours before the floods, excitedly showing his hotel room on the Nepalese side of the border and discussing his plans to cross into Tibet. He had been planning this pilgrimage for two years.
Friend Jolene Gosha described Patel as an avid traveler who loved dancing and organizing surprise flash mobs at friends' weddings. “He’s always smiling from ear to ear,” she said. “He’d dance so goofily and didn’t care who was watching.” Gosha added, “We’re just hoping, hoping that by some chance he was able to climb his way out of it. I don’t want to give myself false hope because I know the reality is that he’s probably not with us.”
Long Island man described as ‘life of the party’
Jitendra Patel, 72, of Long Island, was with a tour group on a Hindu pilgrimage. His son Sunny said Jitendra last called Wednesday morning via WhatsApp, saying he had crossed into Tibet. When Sunny saw flood videos, he thought no one could survive. His mother confirmed Jitendra was in the exact area.
“My heart sank,” Sunny said, adding he “didn’t think it was possible that my dad would be there at ground zero.” He described his father as the “life of the party” who loved golf and socializing, and who drove Uber for fun. Sunny remains “maybe hopeful” but hasn't heard from his father, and WhatsApp messages go undelivered. “It gets worse by every hour, obviously,” he said.
Spiritual group reports missing Americans
Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru said on X that 77 people returning from Mount Kailash with his Isha Foundation were at the Gyirong immigration center when the floods struck. Leslie Crespi, a U.S. community liaison, said 22 of them were Americans affiliated with the foundation, plus three volunteers. “We had communication with the coordinator at about 9:05 Nepalese time saying they had arrived there. And then by 9:14 is when this flash flood hit,” Crespi said. She called the trekkers “like family” and noted that for many, the journey is a “lifelong dream.”
The Isha Foundation, based in India, has a U.S. campus in McMinnville, Tennessee. At a candlelight vigil in New York City, Tak Ruwali, a Long Island resident from a flood-affected Nepalese district, said many local guides are “out of contact now,” meaning “they are probably gone.”
President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that U.S. officials have spoken with Nepalese leaders and offered “anything they want.” He estimated 50 or 60 Americans were in the area but said a full accounting isn't complete.
This disaster underscores the devastating human toll of extreme weather in the region, which has also raised broader concerns about climate-related risks. As families await news, the U.S. government continues to coordinate with local authorities, though the chaotic aftermath hampers rescue efforts.
