Chennai, Aug 31:
A Chennai-based travel operator has claimed that members of a 49-member Kailash pilgrimage group from Tamil Nadu were caught in a devastating flash flood near the Nepal-China border, with some members reportedly seen fleeing to higher ground as floodwaters swept away an immigration office.
The group had left Chennai Airport on August 14 for a Kailash pilgrimage through Nepal. The journey was organised by Mahadev Kailash Yatra, a private spiritual tour operator based in Radhanagar, Chromepet.
The group was led by Sathy Narayanan, the son of the travel company’s owner. Participants included people from several parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chromepet, Perumbur, Alwarpet, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchy.
The group had completed nearly 14 days of travel and was preparing to return to Chennai when the disaster struck.
According to the travel operator, members of the group were at an immigration office near the Nepal-China border completing formalities when a powerful flash flood suddenly hit the area.
The force of the flood was reportedly so severe that the immigration office building itself was swept away.
The operator said CCTV footage from the immigration centre showed people in blue clothing running away from the floodwaters. He identified those seen in the footage as members of his group.
He said some people may have managed to escape by running towards higher ground and crossing into the Chinese side.
However, he said the area had subsequently been covered by mud reportedly reaching around six feet in height, making rescue and communication extremely difficult.
According to the operator, three groups connected to the tour had been caught in the disaster.
He also said information about the flood situation was being received only through the Nepalese authorities and that no direct information had been received from the Chinese side.
The uncertainty has added to the anxiety of relatives waiting for information about the travellers.
The latest account highlights the suddenness and scale of the flash flooding in the border region, where travellers were reportedly caught while completing routine immigration procedures after finishing their pilgrimage journey.