SRINAGAR: A man from Jammu and Kashmir who travelled to Nepal for the Mansarovar Yatra is among the Indian nationals reported missing following the devastating Nepal flash floods.Suhail Gupta, a resident of Trikuta Nagar in Jammu, had travelled to Nepal for the pilgrimage. His family last spoke to him on the evening of August 25, when he was reportedly near the Nepal-Tibet border. Contact with him was subsequently lost.Concerned over his whereabouts, Gupta’s family approached Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh for assistance. A letter was also sent to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, requesting intervention to help trace the missing Jammu resident.The Indian Embassy in Nepal has since informed the family that Gupta’s name has been included in its list of missing and untraceable persons. Embassy officials have also contacted his brother, Amit Gupta, who is currently residing in Kathmandu.According to the family, the embassy said efforts were underway to trace Gupta through available online tracking mechanisms. The family has also appealed to Nepal search-and-rescue teams and the media for assistance in locating him.The Indian Embassy has maintained contact with the Government of Nepal and other concerned authorities since the flash floods struck on August 26. Search operations are continuing for several people reported missing after the disaster.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that hundreds of Indian nationals remain unaccounted for following the Nepal floods, while several others have been rescued.The flash floods caused widespread destruction across parts of Nepal, damaging homes, roads and other critical infrastructure. Areas along major river corridors were severely affected, with rescue operations facing difficult terrain and extensive mud and debris.The disaster has also renewed concerns over climate-related risks in the Himalayan region, with scientists warning that rising temperatures, changing weather patterns and unstable glaciers can increase the vulnerability of mountain communities to cascading hazards.Meanwhile, Suhail Gupta’s family continues to wait for information about his whereabouts and safety, as authorities and rescue teams continue efforts to trace those still missing.
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