Anil Goel, a 67-year-old resident of Northern Virginia and former World Bank employee, is among the many people missing following a catastrophic flood and mudslide at the Nepal-Tibet border. Goel was part of a group of approximately 10 U.S. nationals present at the Rasuwagadhi immigration checkpoint on Wednesday morning when a massive wall of mud and water destroyed the facility.
The disaster was triggered by the collapse of a distant rock ledge and the Himalayan glacier it supported. Just 35 minutes before the deluge, at 8:35 a.m. local time, the family received confirmation that Goel’s visa had been approved at the border crossing. His son, Anurag Goel, who works as an engineer in Boston, shared a photograph taken at the site, noting, “We have a photo of our father with his group from the border crossing.” While the image does not show Anil himself, it captures seven members of his trekking party in front of the immigration office sign; the family believes Anil likely took the picture.
Goel was traveling with 10 other Americans and two Nepali nationals through the Kathmandu-based firm Classic Vacations. He was en route to Mount Kailash in Tibet for a religious pilgrimage, a journey that combined his passion for hiking with his spiritual interests. His daughter, Manvi Goel, expressed uncertainty regarding his exact location when the disaster struck, stating, “It’s possible they did [cross into Tibet], but my hunch is he was still on the Nepal side when the calamity struck.”
A seasoned hiker, Goel had visited Nepal 10 times previously and frequently documented his expeditions on YouTube to encourage others to visit the region. His family described him as an experienced trekker who had previously climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and visited the Mount Everest base camp with his wife in 2015. Anurag recalled that during their last conversation, his father was “very excited, in his happy place.”
The scale of the tragedy remains immense, with authorities reporting approximately 1,500 people missing on both sides of the border as of Friday. This figure includes as many as 540 foreign nationals from 31 countries, and the U.S. State Department has indicated that up to 90 Americans could have been impacted by the event. While some local media outlets have suggested the number of missing could reach 12,000, these figures remain unconfirmed by official sources.
Rescue operations have been complicated by the threat of further flooding. Concerns were raised Friday regarding a swollen glacial lake upstream that had become dammed by debris. Although Chinese state television reported that the risks from this lake were manageable, the situation remains precarious for families awaiting news. The death toll from the disaster has already surpassed 600, with thousands still unaccounted for.
Despite offers of international assistance from several nations, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry stated on Friday that it did not require foreign aid for its search and rescue efforts. Anurag Goel emphasized the family’s desire for clarity, noting, “We hope for good news but understand the severity of the situation. We also want to understand the nature of the rescue work… and raise awareness so that more foreign governments and agencies are able to help.” The report also notes that on Friday, the 67-year-old Northern Virginia resident and former World Bank employee’s family was still desperate for information on his whereabouts, as the death toll from the devastating floods and mudslides along the Nepal-Tibet border climbed, and at least 1,400 people remained missing. The report also notes that all of the buildings in the area were swept away or covered by a wall of mud and water unleashed by the collapse of a distant rock ledge and the vast Himalayan glacier it had supported, just 35 minutes later. The report also notes that he said his father fell in love with hiking years ago. The report also notes that he wanted to take his dear friends from Virginia to understand and explore the region. The report also notes that with around 3,000 still missing, nepal flash flood deaths surpass 600. The report also notes that nepal flood rescue efforts intensify as number of missing soars past 2,000. The report also notes that missouri deputy AG found alive days after vanishing on Wyoming hike. The report also notes that taiwan Can Rescue the World from China.
