An 80-member group associated with spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation was reportedly at the Gyirong immigration centre when a devastating flash flood swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region, while 28 pilgrims from Visakhapatnam have safely returned after narrowly escaping the disaster.Four days after the flash flood struck, Chinese rescuers reached the Gyirong immigration centre and reportedly found “nothing but ruins” at the border crossing. Several Indian pilgrims were believed to have been in the area, either travelling towards Tibet for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra or returning after completing the pilgrimage.The disaster has left large areas along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors devastated, with roads, bridges and communication links severely affected.‘We never imagined it would happen to us’Among those who escaped were 28 pilgrims from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Recalling the terrifying journey, pilgrim Gada Elaveni told ANI that their group narrowly avoided the fate of two buses travelling ahead of them.“We never imagined it would happen to us… Well, we didn’t get the darshan, but God brought us home safely,” Elaveni told ANI.She said the group had travelled around 80 km from Kathmandu when they stopped for tea.“When we stopped to drink tea, the two buses that had left half an hour ahead of us, got washed away/missing. We were travelling in three buses, and all of us are safe,” she said.Visa delay that may have saved pilgrimsDLDA Chairman Gadu Venkatappa said an unexpected delay in obtaining Chinese visas forced members of his group to remain in Kathmandu for three days.He told ANI that the delay ultimately changed their travel schedule and may have saved them from being near the Chinese Embassy area when the floods struck.“Had they arrived earlier, we would have started our journey at 3.00 AM instead of 6.00 AM,” Venkatappa said.“If we had left at 3.00 AM, we would have been right near the Chinese Embassy at the exact time the flash floods hit… We truly believe missing that early start saved us from disaster,” he told ANI.Landslide strikes near China borderAnother member of the group, Garudappa Naidu, recalled a second close call during the journey towards Kailash Mansarovar.He said their vehicle was only 50 to 100 metres from a bridge near the China border when a landslide suddenly came down.According to Naidu, a tempo driver travelling from the opposite direction shouted a warning. The bus driver immediately manoeuvred the vehicle towards higher ground, taking the passengers to safety.“My brother and our family members left on August 24 through a private travel operator to go on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra,” Naidu told ANI.He said the group had already faced a three-day delay in Kathmandu because of visa issues. A brief stop to use the restroom and have tea later delayed their journey again.“Immediately after the incident occurred, they were out of reach. After recovering from the shock a short while later, my brother called us himself. He informed us that they were in a safe zone and doing fine,” Naidu said.84 Indians rescued, 320 remain uncontactableIndia has stepped up evacuation efforts as the flash floods continue to disrupt large parts of the region.MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 84 Indian nationals had been rescued, including 21 people from Tamil Nadu who returned to India and 63 workers associated with the Trishuli-I hydropower project.Jaiswal said in a post on X: “84 rescued (21 from Tamil Nadu who returned to India today; 63 working at Trishuli-I project); 149 who have crossed over safely into Nepal from China today; Around 400 who are safe in China. Our Embassy has been in touch with them and working on their evacuation; 320 missing or not contactable.”According to the MEA update, 149 Indians have crossed safely into Nepal from China, while around 400 remain safe in China as Indian embassy officials coordinate their evacuation.Around 320 Indian nationals remain missing or uncontactable, with communication networks badly affected by the disaster.The flash floods in the Bhotekoshi River region of Rasuwa have caused widespread destruction, with people killed or missing and vital road and communication links disrupted.India has also intensified its assistance to Nepal, combining emergency supplies with specialised rescue and medical capabilities as Kathmandu continues its relief operations.