Chennai, Aug 28:
Congress MP P Manickam Tagore has urged the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to intensify efforts to rescue all Tamils stranded in Nepal following the devastating flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse.
In a statement, Tagore said 392 people had died, 800 had been rescued and 910 remained missing in the unprecedented disaster. He said the Ministry of External Affairs was coordinating with the Nepal government and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu to speed up rescue operations.
According to the statement, 103 Tamils from Tamil Nadu had travelled to Nepal for the Kailash pilgrimage, of whom 54 have been rescued. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is taking steps to facilitate their return to India, he said.
Expressing condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, Tagore said the Centre had a duty to rescue those trapped in the disaster, while the Tamil Nadu government had an additional responsibility to ensure the safe return of stranded Tamils.
He said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay was coordinating efforts through his Cabinet and expressed confidence that all stranded Tamils would be rescued and brought back home safely.