Days before he was set to embark on a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, Sai Prasad Somayajulu, a 60-year-old Canadian who moved to Hyderabad two years ago, is among 16 NRIs from Telangana reported missing after devastating flash floods in Tibet and Nepal. His nephew, Praveen, shared with The Indian Express, "He is an ardent Shiva Bhakt. He wanted to make sure he could trek through the difficult terrain."

Context of the Disaster

The floods, triggered by an earthquake and an avalanche, have resulted in a death toll exceeding 450, with hundreds still unaccounted for. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has reported that approximately 288 individuals are missing, many of whom are pilgrims like Somayajulu.

Back in Hyderabad, Somayajulu's family is anxious. "The last contact with him was one hour before the floods hit. He was at the immigration office at the Nepal-China border," they revealed. Since that last communication, his phone has been off.