Couple’s Fortunate Detour Saves Them from Himalayan Disaster

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By September 22, 2026 / 6:30 PM EDT / CBS Atlanta

A month has passed since a devastating flash flood struck a Himalayan river valley. Mita and Hemant Parikh from Suwanee have safely returned home. However, the people they traveled with on a spiritual pilgrimage to Mount Kailash are still missing.

The Parikhs were part of a group consisting of 47 individuals. CBS News Atlanta reports that the tour company has confirmed that none of the missing participants, including seven guides, have been located dead or alive.

That’s what we talk to each other every single day. Why did we decide this way? said Mita.

The pilgrimage to Mount Kailash was a journey 15 years in the making for the Parikhs. Mita explained that the desire to visit this sacred site is divinely chosen. For them, reaching the remote Himalayan peak was a spiritual endeavor, a chance to meditate and reaffirm their faith.

The trip brought together strangers from across the globe. Many quickly formed friendships. Plans were made to continue traveling together even after completing the pilgrimage.

Other travelers included families from the United States and Australia, along with a mother, daughter, and several children. The Parikhs had built bonds with these families. Tragically, none of them have been found.

The Parikhs made an unexpected decision to take an additional trip to Lhasa and Everest Base Camp. This side trip changed the course of their lives. It was not their usual practice to make spontaneous decisions, yet both agreed on this venture.

Hemant described his interest in visiting Everest as a lifelong dream to see the world’s highest peak from a distance. Despite forecasts predicting snow, they managed to get clear views of Everest.

Their plan was to reunite with their fellow travelers in Saga. Unexpectedly, a massive flood swept through the river valley where their friends were staying. Initially, the severity of the flood was unclear to them.

Our guide said that, you know, there was a flood. And so I thought … it’s not a big deal. There’s always floods, Hemant shared.

While at Everest Base Camp, the couple had switched their phones to silent mode, missing urgent messages from their families. On checking their phones, they found numerous queries about their safety.

Assuming a delay, the Parikhs waited to reconnect with their group. But silence prevailed. Attempts to reach their fellow pilgrims went unanswered.

A helicopter survey by the tour operator revealed the entire hotel, where the group stayed, had vanished. Not a trace remained.

Reflecting on that fateful morning, Mita recalled their friends enjoying breakfast, unaware of the impending disaster. Despite the passage of time, hope lingers that survivors might emerge.

Upon returning to Atlanta, mixed emotions have engulfed the couple. Mita often pictures Mount Kailash and the faces of the missing. Both harbor hopes that someone might have reached safety and is simply unable to reach out.

The experience transformed Mita’s outlook on life. She is determined to spend more time with others and seek meaning in their survival. Yet the choice that saved them remains unresolved.