TRICHY: It is feared that at least 37 of the total 57 Mount Kailash pilgrims from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were caught in the flash floods in the Bhote Koshi river in Nepal on Wednesday. All the pilgrims travelled to Nepal through Kumbakonam-based Super Yathra Agency on Aug 23.A catastrophic flash flood in Bhote Koshi River struck the Nepal-China border region on Wednesday, leaving dozens dead and hundreds of tourists and pilgrims from various countries missing.Super Yathra Agency was offering the Mount Kailash religious pilgrimage from Aug 23 to Sept 6. Their itinerary covered Kathmandu, Syabrubesi, Gyirong, Saga, Paryang, Lake Manasarovar, Darchen, Yam Dwar, Dirapuk, Dolma La Pass, Gauri Kund and Zuthulpuk.The group left Chennai on Sunday night (Aug 23) and landed in Kathmandu on Monday. On Tuesday, they departed from Kathmandu for Syabrubesi.On Wednesday, after passport checks at the Nepal-China border, they were supposed to proceed to Gyirong along a mountain route.The group was travelling on three buses towards Gyirong. Among them, Sayed Umar Sadiq, M Ragunathan and K Venkatraman were acting as guides on three separate buses.Sayed Umar Sadiq is the son of Syed Sadiq, the owner of the travel agency.There were 20 people on the bus on which Ragunathan was travelling.Travel operator Syed Sadiq said, “Around 9 am, I received a call from Ragunathan. He said that they heard a loud sound like an explosion and the ground shook. He said only one bus managed to reach safety and saw another bus rolling down the gorge.”Syed Sadiq said the survivors attempted to learn the fate of the other two buses. However, they were stopped from going back by accompanying personnel.The pilgrims comprise 36 women and 21 men, including 28 people aged above 60 years. Of the group, 16 are from Thanjavur, 12 from Cuddalore, seven from Mayiladuthurai, five from Trichy, four from Chennai, four from Krishnagiri, three from Puducherry, two from Tiruvarur, two from Dharmapuri, and one each from Tiruvannamalai and Namakkal.Kumbakonam tahsildar V Pongodi conducted an inquiry on behalf of Thanjavur district administration. Speaking to TOI, she said, “We are trying to learn if the others are safe and are speaking to their family members. A control room has been set up by the administration with the contact number 1056 to coordinate the communication.”Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay expressed shock and dismay at the news reports.He said, “I have ordered the senior govt officials of the Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi to take all necessary measures to quickly rescue those from Tamil Nadu who are missing in this disaster and to provide the required assistance to the affected people.”Vijay announced emergency telephone numbers so that Tamils stranded in Nepal who need help, or their relatives in Tamil Nadu, can get in touch.“Through the Indian ministry of external affairs and the Indian embassy in Nepal, necessary steps are being taken swiftly to obtain information about people from Tamil Nadu and to ensure their safety,” he added.Emergency contact numbers of Tamil Nadu govtToll-Free (India): 1800 309 3793Missed Call (Abroad): +91 80 6900 9900Emergency Contact: +91 80 6900 9901Control Room for Tamil Nadu House (WhatsApp): 92895 16712
