Chennai, Aug 27:
The Tamil Nadu government has launched intensive rescue efforts to bring back 103 pilgrims from the State stranded in Nepal following devastating flash floods and landslides, with Minister Rajmohan informing the Assembly on Wednesday that the operation was being carried out on a war footing in coordination with the Centre, the Indian Embassy and Nepalese authorities.
Giving a detailed explanation on the floor of the House, Rajmohan said the sudden floods along Nepal’s border regions had caused widespread destruction, severely disrupting road and communication networks and leaving several groups of pilgrims stranded in remote areas.
The minister said the disaster had inflicted extensive damage on infrastructure, with 35 bridges and 45 suspension bridges washed away in the floodwaters. The destruction of key transport links has made movement difficult and complicated rescue operations in the affected regions.
The Assembly was informed that the stranded people were part of groups undertaking spiritual journeys, including the Kailash Manasarovar pilgrimage, through separate tour operators.
According to Rajmohan, a group of 57 pilgrims had travelled through Kumbakonam-based Super Yatra. The group comprised 54 people from Tamil Nadu and three from Puducherry. They had travelled in three buses, but the bus moving in the middle of the convoy was caught in a sudden flash flood.
In a significant relief for the families of the pilgrims, the minister told the House that 20 passengers travelling in the flood-hit bus had been safely rescued. Arrangements were being made to move them to the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu through an alternative route, as normal road connectivity had been severely affected.
The Assembly was also informed about another group of 49 Tamil Nadu residents who had travelled to Nepal through Chennai-based Mahadev Kailash Yatra.
Rajmohan said communication with the group had been affected due to the destruction caused by the floods and landslides. Authorities were making continuous efforts to establish their exact location and assess their present condition through available communication equipment and local disaster response agencies.
The Tamil Nadu government, he said, had activated several levels of coordination to ensure the safe evacuation of all those stranded.
Officials of the Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi have been working closely with the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Indian Embassy in Nepal has been coordinating with Nepalese government agencies and local rescue teams.
“The government is taking all necessary steps on a war footing to safely rescue and bring back every Tamil Nadu resident stranded in Nepal,” the minister assured the Assembly.
He said the rescue operation was facing serious logistical challenges because of damaged roads, washed-away bridges and the disruption of communication facilities. Several affected locations remained difficult to access, forcing rescue teams to identify alternative routes for evacuation.
The government is also relying on local disaster management teams and diplomatic channels to obtain real-time information about the stranded pilgrims and facilitate their movement to safer areas.
The rescue of the 20 passengers from the flood-hit bus has brought some relief amid growing concern over the safety of the remaining pilgrims. Once the stranded groups are brought to accessible locations and Kathmandu, arrangements are expected to be made for their onward journey to India and subsequently to Tamil Nadu.
Rajmohan’s detailed statement in the Assembly came amid continued concern among families of the pilgrims, who have been anxiously waiting for information about their relatives stranded in the flood-ravaged Himalayan region.
The Tamil Nadu government has assured the House that it is maintaining constant contact with Central government authorities and the Indian diplomatic mission in Nepal and that the rescue operation will continue until all 103 pilgrims are safely accounted for and brought back home.