10 Toronto residents unaccounted for after deadly Nepal flash floods

Ten Toronto residents are among 80 members of the Isha Foundation still unaccounted for after deadly flash flooding in the Gyirong County area of Tibet on August 27.

The group was returning from the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a sacred pilgrimage to Mount Kailash that draws Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bon followers from around the world. The 80 missing people came from 19 countries; 12 were Canadian.

A trek coordinator made contact with the foundation at 9:07 a.m. on Wednesday after the group arrived at a Chinese immigration centre. The flash flooding hit the area five minutes later at 9:14 a.m. Since then, no communication has been received from any of the group members.

Leslie Crespi, a U.S.-based community liaison for the Isha Foundation in North America, said Network on Thursday that families are devastated. "It's devastating news; it's very, very hard to believe," she said. "Some people have been with us for over 20 years, so it has taken a devastating effect on all of us here."

Crespi said the foundation has been in close contact with embassies and officials seeking continuous updates. A preliminary report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board in April found that system failures and communication issues played a key role in the accident.

The names and identifying details of the 10 Toronto residents have not been released. The death toll and total number of missing foreigners in the Nepal-Tibet floods remain unconfirmed.