CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, on Thursday, reviewed the steps being taken to rescue and bring back Tamils stranded in Nepal due to flash floods and deputed a team of officials led by the Resident Commissioner of Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi, Ashish Kumar, to Kathmandu to oversee relief and rescue measures in coordination with the Nepali authorities and facilitate the safe return of survivors.
After a review meeting at the State Secretariat, the CM also instructed four ministers — PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna, School Education Minister A Raj Mohan, Agriculture Minister R Vinoth and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Minister K Thennarasu — to go to Delhi to coordinate and monitor rescue and relief measures in coordination with the Union government, facilitate the safe and speedy return of those rescued, and extend immediate medical assistance.
'103 Tamil Nadu pilgrims stranded in Nepal'
Meanwhile, replying to a discussion on a special mention about the issue in the State Assembly during zero hour, School Education Minister A Raj Mohan said as many as 103 Tamil Nadu pilgrims who had travelled to Nepal for the Kailash pilgrimage were stranded in the country amid devastating flash floods, and efforts were under way to rescue and bring them back to Tamil Nadu.
The minister said the government was closely monitoring the whereabouts and safety of the pilgrims and coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and the Nepalese authorities to facilitate their rescue and return to India.
Raj Mohan said the flash floods, reportedly triggered by a glacial collapse in the upper reaches of a river in the Chinese region, had caused severe devastation in areas along the Nepal-Tibet border. The floods badly affected Rasuwa, Timure, Syabrubesi and downstream areas.
“According to information available to the Nepalese authorities, 384 travellers were reported missing, including 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepalese citizens. A total of 75 people were seriously injured. Of these, 43 were in Rasuwa, 29 in Nuwakot and three in Dhading. A total of 209 people have so far been rescued: 93 by ground teams and 116 by helicopters and air ambulances. In some cases, rescue personnel were lowered by ropes from helicopters to reach people stranded in inaccessible areas,” the minister said.
Explaining the scale of the disaster, the minister said the flash floods had severely damaged the area’s already limited road and bridge connectivity. As many as 35 vehicle bridges and 45 suspension bridges were washed away, while around 40 km of roads connecting the affected areas had been completely damaged. Communication with officials at the Rasuwa customs and immigration offices had also become extremely difficult, he said.
Raj Mohan said one group of pilgrims from Tamil Nadu had travelled to Nepal as part of a travel programme organised by Super Yathra, Kumbakonam, in association with Samrat Tours and Travels in Nepal.
The group comprised 54 people from Tamil Nadu and three from Puducherry, making a total of 57 pilgrims. The Tamil Nadu pilgrims were from Cuddalore (11), Krishnagiri (five), Thanjavur (16), Dharmapuri (one), Trichy (four), Tiruvannamalai (one), Tiruvarur (two), Namakkal (one), Mayiladuthurai (seven) and Chennai (six).
According to preliminary information, the group had travelled in three vehicles from Landruk to Rasuwa. During the journey, one of the vehicles was caught in a sudden flash flood near the Botekoshi River in Rasuwa district. The 20 Tamil pilgrims travelling in the vehicle were evacuated immediately, leaving their belongings behind. They were taken to a safe location associated with the Armed Police Force in the Timure area, where they are currently staying, the minister said. He added that arrangements were being made to bring them to Kathmandu by an alternative road route.
Raj Mohan further said the government was monitoring the situation on an hourly basis, as information was changing rapidly because of the difficult weather conditions. While the details of the 20 rescued Tamil pilgrims had been confirmed, there was a delay in obtaining information about the remaining 34 members of the first group.
The minister also disclosed that another Chennai-based organisation, Mahadev Kailash Yatra, had taken 49 Tamil pilgrims to Nepal. Efforts were under way to obtain complete details about these pilgrims, including their travel plans, present locations and whether they had been affected by the floods.
Toll free helpline
The Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Department has established a round-the-clock toll-free helpline to assist stranded pilgrims and their families. For calls from within India, the toll-free number is 1800 309 3793. Those calling from abroad can give a missed call to +91 8069009900 or +91 8069009901. A control room has also been established at Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi, with the contact number 9289516712.
The minister said the helplines had received around 937 calls since their announcement, and callers had been provided with information and assistance. A control room at Tamil Nadu House was coordinating the collection of information about rescued and stranded Tamils.