A policeman with a sniffer dog looks at the damage in the aftermath of flash floods in Devighat in the Nuwakot district in Nepal, Thursday, Aug 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)The call that chilled Devki Adhikari was brief and came at 9:30 am on Thursday. In it, she could hear her family in Bhopal frantically telling them about the flash floods in Nepal and that they were seeking higher ground.“They told me that while climbing up a hill to save their lives. They tried taking shelter at the house of a local, which later got partially submerged in the flood. They said, ‘The house is half submerged. We will not survive now. Take care of our children,” Devki recalls her family saying.Brothers Krishna-Radhika Khanal and Ramchandra-Bhavati Khanal Adhikari and their families were part of a group of 29 people who had gone to Gosainkunda pilgrimage in Nepal for Sawan Purnima. They were an extended family spread across neighbouring households and localities — brothers and their wives, sisters and brothers-in-law, and other relatives.Also Read | Express in Nepal: At search and rescue hub, helicopters, stench of deathOn Thursday morning, the Adhikari family had the last call from their relatives, telling them they had been sheltering on the roof of a house.None of the 29 in that group has since been traceable, with their families now anxiously waiting for word. “The line remained connected, but the voices stopped. There was no response when the family tried to speak to them,” he says.Also Read | Another flood threat for Nepal: What is a barrier lake, and how devastating can a breach be?“There has been no contact after that. In all, 29 people had gone — all of them known to us. So far, we have not received updates on any of them,” she said.The death toll from the flash floods in Nepal and Tibet has climbed to 538, while 977 remain missing. Around 3,742 people have been rescued. During a media briefing, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that 400 Indians on the Chinese side are safe.Story continues below this adSome 320 Indians and over 100 people of Indian origin remain unaccounted for.Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More Tags:bhopalNepal floods