Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that the state government has identified 12 people from Assam who remain untraced in Nepal following the devastating flash floods that struck areas along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Sarma said efforts are underway to establish contact with the individuals and ensure their safe rescue. The Assam government is coordinating with the families of those untraced as well as relevant authorities and agencies involved in the ongoing rescue operations.
The development has added to concerns in Assam as families await information about the whereabouts and safety of their relatives caught in the disaster.
12 People From Assam Remain Untraced
In an update shared on August 28, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said authorities had been able to establish details of 12 people from Assam who could not yet be traced in Nepal.
“Till now we have been able to establish details of 12 people from Assam who are yet to be traced in Nepal. Efforts are underway to establish connection with them and safely rescue them,” Sarma said.
The list includes people from several districts of Assam, including Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Hojai, Kamrup Metropolitan and Nalbari.
The government is working to establish communication with the individuals and determine their current locations amid difficult conditions in the flood-hit areas.
People From Several Assam Districts
Three of the people identified by the Chief Minister are from Karbi Anglong district. They are Rhituopurno Brahma, Montri Basumatary and Soneswar Narzary, all residents of Daidak village under Dokmoka police station.
Rahul Daimary of Jaipukhuri under Merapani police station in Golaghat district and Shatadal Nath of Doboka in Hojai are also among those whose whereabouts have not yet been confirmed.
The list further includes people from Guwahati and Nalbari. Those identified from Kamrup Metropolitan include Pankaj Naug of Rukmini Gaon, along with Dr Dipali Sarkar and Manash Kr Ghosh of Lankeshwar.
From Nalbari, the list includes Pankaj Barman, Arun Mahanta and Samar Bezbaruah. Dr Tirtha Chaliha of Nalbari Medical College and Hospital is also among the 12 people identified by the state government.
Some Individuals Later Reported Safe
While the initial list contained 12 people whose whereabouts had not been confirmed, subsequent reports indicated that two of those named were later confirmed safe by their families.
Pankaj Barman and Samar Bezbaruah from Nalbari were reportedly confirmed safe, according to a later update. The development highlights the fluid nature of the situation as communication channels are gradually restored and authorities continue to verify information concerning people affected by the disaster.
The Assam government continues to work with families and concerned agencies to establish the status of the remaining people.
Devastating Flash Floods Hit Nepal-Tibet Border
The Assam residents were affected by a catastrophic flash flood that struck the Himalayan border region on August 26.
The disaster caused extensive destruction in parts of Nepal and Tibet, with powerful flows of water, mud, rocks and debris sweeping through settlements and damaging roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
Initial assessments have linked the disaster to a glacier or ice-rock collapse in the Himalayan region, which triggered a sudden surge through the river system. The extreme terrain and extensive debris have made rescue and recovery operations particularly difficult.
The disaster has left hundreds dead and a large number of people missing, while rescue teams continue to search affected areas.
Rescue Operations Face Major Challenges
Rescue operations in Nepal have been complicated by damaged infrastructure, unstable terrain and disrupted communication networks.
Authorities have been using helicopters and other resources to reach areas that remain difficult to access by road. Search teams are also working to locate people who may be stranded or missing following the sudden flooding.
The scale of the disaster has made it difficult for authorities to immediately establish contact with all affected individuals. This has also increased anxiety among families in India whose relatives travelled to Nepal for work, tourism or other purposes.
For families of the 12 Assam residents, establishing direct communication remains a key priority.
Assam Government Coordinates Rescue Efforts
The Assam government has said it is coordinating with the families of the untraced individuals and agencies concerned to facilitate efforts to locate them.
The state administration is also expected to continue monitoring developments in Nepal and share verified information as it becomes available.
Maintaining communication between the state government, families and authorities in Nepal will be particularly important as rescue operations continue.
The government’s consolidated list of affected Assam residents is intended to assist in identifying individuals and coordinating efforts to establish their whereabouts.
Wider Impact on Indian Nationals
The Nepal flash floods have affected people from several countries, with a significant number of foreign nationals among those reported missing.
The disaster occurred in a region that attracts tourists, pilgrims, workers and other travellers. The destruction of roads and communication infrastructure has made it difficult to immediately determine the status of everyone who was in the affected areas.
Indian authorities have consequently been working to trace nationals reported missing or uncontactable following the disaster.
For states such as Assam, maintaining coordination with central agencies and Nepalese authorities is essential to ensuring that stranded residents can be located and brought to safety.
Families Await Information
For the families of the 12 Assam residents, the uncertainty surrounding their whereabouts remains a major concern.
Authorities are treating the effort to establish contact and locate the individuals as a priority. The confirmation that two people on the original list were safe has also offered some reassurance, although the status of the others remains under watch.
Families are expected to receive further updates as rescue agencies establish communication and gain access to more affected locations.
Assam Closely Monitors Nepal Flood Situation
The Assam government’s latest update underlines the wider impact of the Nepal disaster on residents of the northeastern state.
With 12 people initially identified as untraced, authorities are working to establish their status and facilitate their safe rescue. The later confirmation of two individuals as safe demonstrates that the situation remains dynamic and that the number of people still unaccounted for may change as communication improves.
As rescue and relief operations continue in Nepal, the Assam government will remain focused on tracing its residents, supporting their families and coordinating with the agencies involved.
For now, the priority remains clear: establish contact with those still untraced, locate them safely and ensure that every possible effort is made to bring affected Assam residents out of the disaster zone.