New Delhi: As many as 288 Indian nationals remain unaccounted for following the devastating flash floods in Nepal, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday. Flash floods wreaked havoc across three districts in Nepal on Wednesday. The death toll rose to 270 on Thursday as authorities raced against time to locate thousands of missing people.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the missing Indians include people working on hydropower projects as well as members of tourist groups. Among them are 73 Indians working on the Trishuli One Power Project.
“Our embassy in Kathmandu is in touch with the project head to get more details about these people,” Jaiswal said.
Twenty-one Indians from Tamil Nadu who had travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra have been rescued. Jaiswal added that around 200 Indians in Tibet have also sought assistance from India.
NORKA Roots CEO Rajesh Madhavan told Onmanorama that, according to the latest information available, all Malayalis in Nepal are safe and none were in the worst-affected areas. According to the current estimate 53 Malayalis are stranded in Nepal. They are expected to be brought back on a flight on August 29.
Death toll
More than 1,000 people remained missing in Nepal and neighbouring China after a wall of ice, mud and rock collapsed into a mountain river, triggering a catastrophic flash flood.
Police told Reuters that the death toll was expected to rise beyond 270, with dozens of bodies swept down into the plains, where they were being recovered.
Nepal Home Minister Sudhan Gurung said the focus remained on finding survivors. Rescue teams had located 100 missing Indian visitors, mostly pilgrims, and 25 Chinese workers in the worst-hit region around Trishuli.
More than 650 foreign nationals were still unaccounted for, while Nepali authorities were yet to determine the number of missing locals.
India holds review meeting, sends aid
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a review meeting with the Foreign Secretary and other MEA officials, as well as India’s ambassadors in Kathmandu and Beijing, on the flood disaster.
The MEA is coordinating with various ministries, state governments, tour operators and project authorities to assist Indians affected by the floods. India is also working closely with the Nepali authorities on relief and rescue efforts.
India on Thursday sent a second consignment of 37.5 tonnes of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) material, medicines and food packets to Nepal to support relief and rescue efforts. The consignment was handed over to Mahabir Pun, Nepal’s Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation.
Asked whether India was considering a financial assistance package for Nepal similar to the $500 million package extended to Sri Lanka, Jaiswal said India’s immediate focus was on humanitarian assistance requested by Nepal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Nepali counterpart on Wednesday and said India would provide all possible assistance.
Emergency contacts for Indians in Nepal
The MEA has set up a 24×7 control room to assist Indians affected by the floods.
MEA control room
- Telephone: +91 11 2308 8718, +91 11 2308 8719
- WhatsApp calls/messages: +91 9968291988
- Email: situationroom@mea.gov.in
Embassy of India in Kathmandu
- +977 985 131 6807
- +977 970 910 7500
- +977 981 032 6117
The embassy said the emergency numbers can also be contacted through WhatsApp.
Nepal emergency contacts
- Tourist Police: +977 9851289445
- Nepal Army: +977 9851072914
- NDRRMA: +977 9851320269 / +977 9849281097
- Rasuwa Police: +977 9851254960
- Assistant Chief District Officer, Rasuwa: +977 9851164422
- Nuwakot Police: +977 9851282380
- Assistant Chief District Officer, Nuwakot: +977 9851248777
- Dhading Police: +977 9851229860
- Chief District Officer, Dhading: +977 9851247777
- Chitwan Police: +977 9855013999
- Assistant Chief District Officer, Chitwan: +977 9855088891
