Nepal Floods: 53 Stranded Indians Reach Kathmandu, 395 Still Stuck

53 stranded Indian nationals reached Kathmandu amid devastating floods in Nepal that have left 395 Maharashtra citizens stuck. India has sent humanitarian aid as Nepal's death toll rises to 579, with widespread rescue operations underway.

A group of 53 Indian nationals who had been stranded on the Chinese side of the India-Nepal border reached Kathmandu on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The group includes 37 people from Maharashtra, who were stranded in Tibet while returning from the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra amid the devastating flash floods in Nepal.

Maharashtra Citizens Stranded

As many as 395 citizens from Maharashtra are stranded in the flood-hit Nepal-Tibet region, while contact has been established with 325 of them and they are reported to be safe, as of 1 pm on Friday, according to the state government. Widespread flooding in the Nepal-Tibet region since August 26 has created flood-like conditions across several districts, leaving several Indian citizens stranded in the affected areas, as per the Maharashtra government.

According to the state government, of the 395 stranded citizens from Maharashtra, 60 are reported to be in the Riya/Riyu region of Tibet, but contact has not yet been established with them. Information has also been received about another 10 citizens, with whom contact has yet to be made. The process of bringing the 325 citizens who have been confirmed safe back to India from Kathmandu is still underway. The group includes 105 people from Nagpur.

India's Response and Aid

Meanwhile, in a post on X, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared an update on Indian nationals impacted by the floods in Nepal and released the names of 149 Indian nationals who safely crossed from China to Nepal today. India sent a third consignment of 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance to flood-hit Nepal, taking the total relief material dispatched by New Delhi so far to 57.5 tonnes, as India stepped up support for ongoing rescue and relief operations in the neighbouring country.

In a post on X, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said the third flight departed for Kathmandu carrying essential supplies, along with an 11-member team comprising doctors, paramedics and a reconnaissance team for tunnel rescue operations.

Eyewitness Account of Devastation

The brother of a Maharashtra pilgrim stranded in Nepal following devastating flash floods said that the border checkpoint they were supposed to cross has been completely washed away, making it difficult for stranded people to return.

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Patankar, brother of Satish Patankar, said that Satish and his wife Rekha had travelled to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with a travel group. "My brother Satish and my sister-in-law Rekha went on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with a travel group. They reached Kathmandu on August 23 and left Kathmandu on August 25. They were supposed to cross the border on August 26, but the entire checkpoint has been washed away. It is very difficult for people stranded there to return," he added.

Nepal's Devastating Toll

The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal rose sharply, increasing by 41 within a few hours to reach 579. The number of people missing has also climbed to 1,924. According to the latest Search, Rescue and Relief Update issued by Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) at 7 pm local time on Friday, 579 bodies have been recovered so far, while 101 injured people are undergoing treatment in hospitals.

A surgical medical team has also been mobilised to support relief and medical efforts as the emergency response continues. Kathmandu has deployed more than 15,000 security personnel for search, rescue and relief operations as the Himalayan nation races to reach stranded communities and locate those still unaccounted for.

Chitwan recorded the highest number of bodies recovered at 233, followed by Nawalparasi East with 154, Gorkha with 46, Dhading with 40, Nuwakot with 37, Tanahun with 30, Nawalparasi West with 27 and Rasuwa with 12. The Gorkha figure includes various human body parts.

The missing figure of 1,924 includes people from hydropower projects, foreign nationals, civilians and security and government personnel. As many as 933 people from hydroelectric projects are reported missing, while 517 foreign nationals remain unaccounted for. The list also includes 127 Nepali citizens living abroad who were visiting Nepal; 161 people were reported through the Rasuwa District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC), 66 from Makwanpur and one from Nuwakot. The missing list includes 45 Nepal Army personnel, 28 Nepal Police personnel, 13 Armed Police Force personnel, 15 Customs Office personnel and 15 Immigration Office personnel, while three people have also been reported missing from Langtang National Park.

Massive Search and Rescue Operation

The NDRRMA said 15,431 security personnel have been mobilised for the rescue operation, including 6,755 Nepal Army personnel, 4,473 Nepal Police personnel and 4,203 Armed Police Force personnel.

Rescue teams have so far brought 4,451 people to safety, including 191 people rescued from a hydroelectric tunnel and 517 people evacuated by air on Friday. As many as 129 foreign nationals have also been rescued. The scale of the aerial response has increased as teams attempt to reach areas cut off by the disaster.

The flash floods in the Bhotekoshi River area of Rasuwa have left widespread destruction, with hundreds of people dead or missing and key roads and communication links disrupted.

As Nepal's rescue and relief operations continue, India's latest assistance combines emergency supplies with specialised medical and rescue capabilities aimed at supporting Kathmandu's response to the disaster. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)