Krishnagiri (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 28 (ANI): The relatives of four tourists from Krishnagiri district have appealed to the Tamil Nadu government for urgent assistance after losing contact with their loved ones amidst catastrophic floods in Nepal.
While five individuals from Shoolagiri and Hosur had embarked on the spiritual tour via Kumbakonam Travels, only one, identified as Raghunathan, has been successfully located so far, currently taking shelter at a military camp.
The whereabouts of the remaining four travellers identified as Thimmarayasamy, his wife Mamtha, Premavani, and Pushparani remain completely unknown.
Their relatives and friends submitted a petition to Krishnagiri District Collector Dinesh Kumar, urging the Tamil Nadu government to provide information about the missing persons.
According to Parthiban, a friend of the missing couple Thimmarayasamy and Mamtha shared that the spiritual tour group, consisting of approximately 60 people, was travelling across Nepal in three buses.
He added that the group received an urgent warning as severe floodwaters approached. Passengers managed to escape the rising waters by jumping out through the driver’s side of their bus to reach safety. However, the fate of the passengers and the vehicles travelling directly ahead of and behind them remains entirely unconfirmed.
Meanwhile, India is closely monitoring the situation as several of its residents were also left stranded during the flash floods.
The crisis stems from a catastrophic flash flood that struck the Tibet-Nepal border on August 26, sending a powerful surge of water, sediment, and boulders through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems and leaving widespread devastation in its wake. Nepal is currently grappling with the aftermath of the major flash flood that struck the Rasuwa district on Wednesday morning.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 117 tourists have been rescued, including 85 from India.
The death toll from the devastating Bhotekoshi flood on Wednesday rose to 475, according to police, The Kathmandu Post reported.
According to Nepal Police, the Chitwan district recorded the highest death toll with 178 bodies recovered, followed by 110 in NP East, 44 in Gorkha, 37 in Nuwakot, 33 in Dhading, 28 in Tanahun, 27 in NP West and 12 in Rasuwa.
Authorities have rescued 644 people from Rasuwa, 898 from Nuwakot and three from Dhading.
Rescue efforts are underway in Nepal, while there are concerns that fresh floods could be triggered after a large barrier lake formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers reportedly breached on Friday. (ANI)
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