THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following the devastating flash floods in Nepal, Keralam authorities have successfully tracked down and confirmed the safety of 60 Keralites out of an initial helpline list of 82.
Officials also discovered that 14 names on the original list belonged to residents of other states, and their information was forwarded to the ministry and their respective state governments.
The tracking list was compiled by NORKA Roots, alongside helplines operated by the Chief Minister’s Office, the Chief Secretary’s Office, and the Keralam State Disaster Management Authority, after worried families reported their relatives missing or stranded.
According to NORKA Roots CEO Rajesh Madhavan, the 60 individuals found safe have reported being out of danger, with some reaching Darjeeling in West Bengal after crossing into India or remaining safe in the Mount Everest region, prompting NORKA to arrange travel assistance for their return to Keralam.
However, no contact has been established with the remaining eight untraced individuals, comprising four Keralites and four Keralites holding Australian citizenship, whose details have been shared with the Union Ministry of External Affairs.
NORKA has also received specific reports of a person last contacted from Tulo Syabru in Langtang and another facing travel difficulties in Jajarkot in Karnali Province.
Meanwhile, in a separate update, a 23-member Indian pilgrimage group including 19 Keralites returning from the Kailash Mansarovar trip is safely continuing its journey from Darchen to Saga in Tibet, expected to reach Saga by Friday evening, with plans to travel to Kathmandu on August 29 morning via the Kodari-Nyalam border crossing and fly home on August 31.
State authorities continue to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and other agencies to locate the remaining untraced individuals while assisting families through NORKA help desks and its Delhi NRK Development Office.