Siliguri, Aug. 27 -- A resident of Siliguri's Shantinagar Bowbazar area has gone missing in Nepal while returning from a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. The missing man has been identified as Samar Mondal.

According to his family, communication with Samar was lost following the devastating flash floods that struck the Rasuwa area of Nepal. His family members are now anxiously waiting for his safe return.

Family sources said Samar left Siliguri for Kathmandu on August 16. After reaching Kathmandu on August 17, he began his Kailash Mansarovar journey. However, after falling ill during the journey, Samar reportedly separated from his group and stayed in the Rasuwa area.

He was scheduled to return to India through an immigration check post on Wednesday.

However, a severe flash flood hit the area around the same time. The family said they had been in regular contact with Samar until Wednesday morning, when they spoke to him over the phone for the last time. Since then, all communication with him has been lost.

Other members of the pilgrimage group travelling with Samar are reportedly safe.

The disruption of communication and transportation networks following the disaster in Rasuwa has heightened the family's concern.

Ashish Sarkar, a relative of Samar, said: "On Wednesday morning he had called and told us that he would complete the immigration process and then return home. Since then, there has been no communication. We are making every possible effort to trace him."

Shikha Chatterjee, MLA of Dabgram-Fulbari, visited Samar's residence and met his family members on Thursday. She assured the family of all possible assistance and said that the matter had already been brought to the attention of the government.

"I have already informed the authorities. All possible efforts are being made to trace Samar," Chatterjee said.

A catastrophic flood struck Nepal's Rasuwagadhi-Bhotekoshi region after a major landslide-debris flow in Tibet triggered a surge through the Bhotekoshi river system on Wednesday morning.

According to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 123 bodies have been recovered, while 245 people remain officially unaccounted for, including 83 security personnel.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.