Nearly 290 Indian nationals remained out of contact after the catastrophic floods in Nepal and adjoining Tibet, according to the latest figure released by India's Ministry of External Affairs. The figure does not by itself mean that all those people are physically missing: officials have repeatedly cautioned that damaged telecom networks and the loss of contact with tour groups are making verification difficult.

The effort to trace the Indians faced another setback on Friday after a barrier lake formed by rock, ice and flood debris near the Nepal-China border began overflowing. Authorities temporarily stopped rescue operations and ordered personnel and residents to move to higher ground as water levels rose in the Bhote Koshi river system.

The disaster has affected pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash, tourists, workers and residents on both sides of the border. Many Indian families are trying to establish whether relatives crossed into Tibet, remained in Nepal or were moved to evacuation centres without being able to make contact.

Why the Search Has Become So Difficult

The original flood swept away sections of roads, bridges, buildings and border infrastructure in Nepal's Rasuwa district and Tibet's Gyirong region. Mud and rock have buried large areas, while unstable slopes continue to threaten rescuers.

Reuters reported that more than 2.5 million cubic metres of water had accumulated in the newly formed lake before it began overflowing. Authorities expect more water to enter the system over the coming days, increasing the danger of landslides, avalanches and a second flood surge.

The number of casualties has changed rapidly as teams reach previously inaccessible locations. Nepal Police reported 469 deaths early on Friday, while subsequent reports placed Nepal's toll higher. Hundreds of people remain unaccounted for across Nepal and Tibet. The casualty figure should therefore be treated as provisional.

Indians May Be Spread Across Two Jurisdictions

The Indian tracing operation is unusually complex because affected groups may be on either side of the Nepal-China border. The MEA said it was coordinating with authorities in both countries and had established a special control room in New Delhi.

An earlier government update said dozens of Indians had been rescued or contacted, while approximately 200 nationals were believed to be in the Tibet side of the affected zone. State governments have also sent teams or opened control rooms after receiving lists from tour operators and families.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has asked people seeking assistance to share the traveller's name, passport or identification details, tour operator, last known location and contact number. Officials have advised families not to rely solely on unverified lists circulating through social media.

Emergency Contacts for Indian Nationals

MEA Special Control Room, New Delhi:

·     Telephone: +91 11 2308 8718 and +91 11 2308 8719

·     WhatsApp calls and messages: +91 9968291988

·     Email: situationroom@mea.gov.in

Indian Embassy, Kathmandu:

·     +977 985 131 6807

·     +977 970 910 7500

·     +977 981 032 6117

The Kathmandu numbers can also be contacted through WhatsApp.

What Happens Next?

The immediate priority is to reconcile passenger lists held by tour operators with immigration records, evacuation-centre registers and hospital data in Nepal and Tibet. Rescue work will depend on whether the barrier lake stabilises and whether helicopters can safely return to the affected valleys.

For Indian families, the key figure is not only the number described as uncontactable, but how many names are verified and removed from that list in each official update.

FAQs

Does uncontactable mean a person is confirmed missing?

No. It means authorities or families have not yet established contact. Some people may be safe but unable to communicate because of network and power failures.

Why were so many Indians in the affected region?

The Nepal-Gyirong corridor is used by tourists, workers and groups travelling towards the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage region.

Is the Kailash route open?

Travel through the affected Nepal-Gyirong corridor is severely disrupted. Travellers should wait for written confirmation from governments and tour operators rather than rely on tentative itineraries.