The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said 290 Indian nationals remain uncontactable following the devastating flash floods in Nepal, while around 200 Indians undertaking the Mansarovar Yatra have sought evacuation.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said those uncontactable include people working on hydropower projects, tourist groups and pilgrims from several states. A large group from Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation also remains untraceable, he said.
Jaiswal said 63 workers of the Trishuli-1 project and 21 Indians from Tamil Nadu have been rescued, while several Indians remain stranded on the Chinese side.
The 290 Indians include those working on the Trishuli-1 power project, groups from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and other states who had travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and other purposes.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Indian authorities were coordinating with Nepalese officials, state governments, tour operators and project authorities to trace those still out of contact.
“Urgent efforts are underway to ascertain the status and well-being of all Indians in the flood-affected areas,” Jaiswal said. “We are working closely with the Nepali side, both on this aspect and on the relief efforts."
The MEA said communication lines in the affected areas have been “totally disrupted”, making it difficult to establish contact with those missing.
India has sent two aircraft carrying relief materials to Nepal and is coordinating rescue and evacuation efforts with Nepali authorities, Jaiswal said.
The MEA has also set up a dedicated control room at its headquarters in New Delhi, while Indian diplomatic missions in Nepal have activated emergency helplines and are coordinating with state governments to trace affected nationals.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also held a review meeting with the Foreign Secretary and the Indian diplomatic teams in Kathmandu and Beijing to assess the situation.
The government has stressed that “uncontactable” does not mean that a person is necessarily missing, injured or dead. It indicates that officials have so far been unable to establish communication.
The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has issued the helpline numbers +977 985 131 6807 and +977 970 910 7500 for assistance and updates. The Embassy of India in Beijing has also provided 0086 185 1428 4905 for Indians stranded on the Chinese side.
The Nepal Tourism Board has activated helplines at 1234 and 1144, while the Tourist Police can be reached at 9851289445.
According to Nepalese authorities, the death toll from the flash floods has risen to 362, with over 900 people still missing.
The floods caused widespread destruction across affected areas, damaging homes, roads, bridges, hydropower facilities and other critical infrastructure.
The scale of the disaster is growing. A newly formed lake at the flood site is also reportedly rising after a river blockage, prompting Nepal’s disaster authorities to warn residents and rescuers to stay away from riverbanks amid fears of a possible outburst.
The crisis has struck a region crowded with pilgrims, trekkers and workers. Rasuwa is home to major trekking and religious destinations, including Langtang Valley, Gosainkunda and Timure, while the wider Himalayan corridor draws pilgrims travelling towards Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
The timing has compounded concerns. With Raksha Bandhan and Shravan Purnima approaching, pilgrimage activity in high-altitude areas is particularly heavy.
The absence of a comprehensive record of travellers moving through the remote region is making it harder for authorities to determine the full number of people affected.
(With inputs from ENS, PTI and ANI)
