A Filipino doctor, Juan Carlos Manalo, has been reported missing after deadly flash floods struck the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, turning a major pilgrimage route into a disaster zone.
Manalo was traveling with a Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage group when floodwaters hit Gyirong, an area near the border where the group was last seen at an immigration office. His family said they have not heard from him since August 25, a day before the massive flooding and landslides swept through the region.
The disaster has left hundreds dead and more than a thousand people missing, including foreign tourists and pilgrims headed to Mount Kailash, a sacred destination for several faith communities. Damaged roads, buried communities, and unstable terrain have made rescue and verification efforts difficult.
The Philippine Embassy is now coordinating with Nepalese authorities to confirm Manalo’s whereabouts and determine his condition. His case adds a direct Filipino face to a tragedy unfolding far from home, where families across countries are waiting for names, updates, and signs of life.
As search operations continue, Manalo’s family and the Filipino community are left hoping for the same thing many others are praying for in the flood-hit region: that the missing are found, and that help reaches them before time runs out.
COURTESY: Chiara Manalo