The flood, which devastated Nepal’s Rasuwa district and adjoining Tibet, has swept away roads, bridges, settlements and border infrastructure
For Goregaon resident C G Ramkrishnan, the last conversation with his sister Meenakshi Subramanian, 60, and brother-in-law Venkat Subramanian, 67, is etched in his mind. “An onsite assessment by the Nepal Mountaineering Association Rescue Team on Friday found that 644 people — 517 foreign nationals, including Indian nationals, and 127 Nepali nationals — were at Rasuwagadhi immigration facility when the flash flood struck. Latest reports put the death toll in Nepal and Tibet at more than 550, with hundreds still missing. More than 100 Indian nationals have been among those reported missing or uncontactable, many of them Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims.
The Kandivli couple told him they were inside their bus, waiting for the Chinese authorities to open the border gates. Richa Tours later told us that an aerial assessment by military authorities showed Timure to be among the worst-affected areas. They said devastation is so extensive that immediate rescue is difficult,” Ramkrishnan said. Chinese rescue teams, the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Nepal Mountaineering Association continue search operations,” said Charuhas Joshi of Hills and Trails and Sangay Gurang of Richa Treks, Kathmandu, in their joint statement.
“The buses were waiting ahead of the Timure immigration office. They were to proceed to Kerung. Dr Milind Chitley’s Hills and Trails group was exactly at the immigration centre at the time. Based on the onsite assessment, helicopter aerial reconnaissance and video footage, yatris at the facility appear to have been severely affected. The situation remains extremely critical. No one has so far been rescued or evacuated from the disaster site. The flood, which devastated Nepal’s Rasuwa district and adjoining Tibet, has swept away roads, bridges, settlements and border infrastructure. Rescue operations have been repeatedly hampered by difficult terrain, damaged communication networks and the risk of further flooding. Maharashtra authorities have also been coordinating efforts to trace tourists from the state.
Apoorva Jalindre said she spoke to her mother, Geeta Jalindre, 66, a retired principal, the night before the disaster. She was travelling with her niece Manisha Pawar, 50, an LIC employee.
Geeta had complained of acidity, which Apoorva said was common during high-altitude travel, and was taking medication. Apoorva, herself an Everest Base Camp trekker, said Manisha had done Annapurna Base Camp treks and that she was happy that an experienced person was with her mother. Another family is holding on to an equally precious last contact.