A woman from Singapore is among nine nationals reported missing following severe flooding and landslides in Nepal and Tibet on August 26. The disaster, which has been described by authorities as an inland tsunami, has caused extensive destruction along the Bhote Koshi valley, killing at least 362 people and leaving more than 1,400 unaccounted for.
Selvaganesh, 43, said his wife, Shaliniy Devay, 40, was on a pilgrimage in Nepal when the floods struck. The couple has been married for 10 years and share a seven-year-old daughter. Shaliniy was part of a group of 25 pilgrims, including two other Singaporeans, on a 15-day religious tour organised by a Malaysian company. The trip began on August 23, and the group had travelled from Kathmandu to the Nepal-China border before the floods occurred.
Selvaganesh received his last message from Shaliniy at around 9:15 a.m. on August 26, shortly before she was to clear immigration at the Nepal-China border. Later that evening, a friend informed him about the flooding, prompting concern as his wife’s location could no longer be tracked. “I just told my daughter, ‘Amma (mother) is missing.’ She said she misses Amma and wanted her to call in the evening,” he said. “I’m hoping for the best. I don’t know what else I can do.”
Another Singaporean pilgrim, 66-year-old S. Mamin, who was in the same group, last messaged his family early on August 26. He indicated they would cross into China by 1 p.m. and that contact could resume about nine hours later. His brother noted the group has been unreachable since and expressed hope for their safety.
Videos emerging from the affected area show powerful waves of mud and debris engulfing buildings, trees, vehicles, and people within seconds, underscoring the scale and speed of the calamity. The Nepal Tourism Board reported that over 500 foreign nationals, including citizens from India, the United States, Ukraine, Malaysia, and Australia, remain uncontactable following the disaster.
The local Nepalese community in Singapore, numbering approximately 1,000 people, has not reported any casualties among its members. President of the Nepalese society here, Indra Bahadur Gurung, said an emergency committee meeting was convened on the day of the incident. He noted that accurate casualty figures are yet to be confirmed and may take days or weeks to determine as authorities continue assessment and rescue efforts.
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is actively coordinating with Nepali and Chinese authorities to provide consular assistance to the missing and affected nationals. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed condolences to the families and extended support to rescue teams working on the ground. On August 27, MFA issued an advisory urging Singaporeans in Nepal to avoid flood-affected districts such as Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, and Chitwan, as well as to stay clear of rivers, riverbanks, bridges, and low-lying areas.
Singaporeans in Nepal are advised to register their presence through the MFA’s eRegister portal and to seek consular assistance by contacting the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi or the MFA’s 24-hour hotline. The government continues to monitor the situation closely as rescue and recovery operations proceed in the disaster zone.