- Family in Chicago searches for Poonam Thakkar missing in Nepal floods
- Poonam was on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash with a large group
- She left the US on August 20 to visit the sacred Hindu site
A Chicago family is desperately searching for news after their loved one went missing during devastating floods in Nepal. According to the Chicago Tribune, the missing woman, identified as Poonam Thakkar, was on a holy pilgrimage to Mount Kailash near Nepal's border. She was travelling with a large group, and the entire group is missing. Poonam reportedly departed from the US on August 20 to participate in a sacred pilgrimage toward Mount Kailash. Located near the border of Nepal and Tibet, the mountain holds deep religious significance for Hindus, who revere it as the home of Lord Shiva.
She had been following the path of her older sister, Bhumika, who completed the same trip a year earlier. "We are very determined to find my sister," Gunjan Thakkar, Poonam's sister, said as quoted by NBC 5 Chicago. "My other sister... she's already in Kathmandu. She landed this morning with two of our cousins, and they're determined to find her."
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Family members said that when they last spoke to her, she sounded happy and relaxed. Shortly after that call, she shared footage of her surroundings. As per local reports, the family has shared the video.
"It was all casual, and she was just sharing how excited she was to be starting the pilgrimage," Gunjan said as per the Chicago Tribune. "She was enjoying every minute of it."
According to the report, the travel company also shared updates on its Facebook page, along with photos of those who are missing. "Most of the group members were staying at Hotel Kailash in Rasuwagadhi," they said.
"Meanwhile, 10 Australian pilgrims, accompanied by our guide Pradip, were travelling from Royal Himalaya Hotel in Syabrubesi toward Rasuwagadhi at the time of the incident."
Also read | NDTV Ground Report: A Desperate Search For Missing Loved Ones In Flood-Hit Nepal
Nepal flash flood
Shortly after Poonam posted her updates, high-altitude rock bedrock collapsed in the Himalayas, triggering a massive glacial shift. The impact was powerful enough to release a fast-moving wall of mud, melted ice, and debris into the river valleys below.
The surge tore through border towns, wiping out bridges, roads, and entire buildings. Local authorities report over 1,200 fatalities and thousands still unaccounted for across the region.
