English
A Winnipeg man is among 31 Canadians reported missing after devastating flash floods struck the Nepal-China border region on Wednesday, leaving thousands of people unaccounted for across the Himalayas.
Mohit Kaushik, 49, had been travelling on a sacred multi-day pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar — a journey of deep spiritual significance in Hinduism — when contact with him was lost. His family confirmed his disappearance on Sunday but said they were not yet ready to speak publicly while they waited for further information.
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His daughter, Kalista Kaushik, briefly addressed the situation in a phone call on Sunday, saying the family needed more time and more details before making any statement. A friend and neighbour, Swikriti Pokhrel, had already posted on social media on Friday that Mohit had been unreachable since Thursday, when he was last known to be travelling from Timure.
Scale of the Disaster
The floods, triggered by a glacier collapse, released energy equivalent to a 5.2-magnitude earthquake. The disaster struck a popular tourist area along the Himalayan border, killing hundreds and leaving approximately 2,000 people missing in the days that followed.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand confirmed on Saturday that 31 Canadian nationals remain unaccounted for. She shared the update through a social media post as Canadian officials continued monitoring the situation.
Manitoba’s Nepali Community Braces for More News
The disaster has sent shockwaves through Manitoba’s Nepali community, which numbers around 1,000 people. Ranju Upadhyaya, former president of the Nepali Cultural Society of Manitoba, said the community expects the emotional toll to grow as more information emerges in the coming days.
“As more days pass, someone will realize they haven’t heard back from their family, especially for the students who are here without their families, and their families are back home,” said Upadhyaya, who was born in Nepal. “I can definitely imagine it’s a tough time for them.”
In response to the crisis, community members have begun raising funds to send aid to flood victims in Nepal. The Mohit Kaushik disappearance has become one of the most visible cases connected to the disaster in Canada, drawing attention to the broader humanitarian emergency still unfolding along the Himalayan border.
The tour company associated with the pilgrimage had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
