Sadhguru mourns as 80 Isha devotees go missing in Nepal flood.

Spiritual leader describes disaster at Gyirong as “extraordinary and terrible”

A devastating flash flood at the Nepal–Tibet border has left 80 members of the Isha Foundation unaccounted for, prompting an emotional response from its founder, Jaggi Vasudev, widely known as Sadhguru. Speaking at a camp in Saga, Tibet, he broke down while recounting how the group was inside the immigration building at Gyirong just minutes before it was swept away.

Sadhguru explained that his own party had crossed paths with the missing group, referred to as the S3 team, during the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. “At 9:05 AM, the group leader sent a message confirming they had reached immigration. By 9:14, the building was gone,” he said, visibly shaken. The leader, a long-time volunteer of over two decades, has not been reachable since, with his Nepal phone never activating- a sign that the group did not cross over.

The missing pilgrims include 34 men and 46 women from across the globe. Among them are 22 from the United States, 12 from Canada, 11 from Australia, nine from the United Kingdom, and others from Germany, France, Nepal, Spain, Singapore, and several more countries. Three volunteers and a nearby doctor are also missing.

Sadhguru cited Indian media reports estimating nearly 484 people missing on the Nepali side, with the overall toll possibly exceeding 1,500. “This is a terrible and extraordinary event,” he said, his voice breaking. He added that the cause of the flood remains uncertain, with speculation ranging from a lake burst to an earthquake. “We don’t know,” he admitted.

Communication and road access to the disaster site have been cut off, complicating rescue efforts. Sadhguru said the Isha Foundation is seeking assistance through the Indian and Chinese embassies, while the American embassy is also working to trace the missing.

The tragedy has cast a shadow over the annual pilgrimage, which draws devotees from around the world to the sacred Mount Kailash. For the Isha Foundation, the loss is deeply personal, as many of the missing are long-time volunteers and practitioners.

As international rescue operations intensify, families and followers await updates with heavy hearts. For Sadhguru, the disaster is not just a natural calamity but a profound human tragedy, leaving him and his community grappling with grief and uncertainty.