Nepal floods: Telangana families await news of stranded kin
Families and friends of Telangana natives stranded in Nepal following flash floods and disruptions on August 26 are struggling to obtain information about their loved ones. Several relatives say they have had no communication for days and are relying on government agencies and informal WhatsApp groups for updates.
Subir Jha, whose niece Arushi Gupta is among those stranded, said the family last spoke to her around 7.50 a.m. on August 22. Arushi was visiting Nepal and staying in the affected region, he said, adding that the family is trying to get updates through government agencies and tour operators. Mr. Jha said they were aware of the helpline centre established at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi and were coordinating with authorities. Arushi has been living in Hyderabad for the past five years.
In another case, Gopi Krishnamoorthy, a Hyderabad-born Australian citizen currently in Nepal, has not been heard from for about three days, according to his friend Chandra. Gopi had travelled from Australia to Nepal with the Isha Foundation. Chandra expressed concern that neither family nor friends had received adequate communication, and that attempts to contact helpline numbers had not yielded responses. Noting that Gopi holds an Australian passport, Chandra said he also wanted to know whether Australian authorities had been contacted regarding his whereabouts. “If he is alive, it is good. If anything happens to him, or he is dead, there should be some communication,” he said. He also raised concerns about the possibility of conflicting information circulating through different channels and social media platforms, which could cause further panic.
Another family awaiting information is that of Kandimalla Suhasini Reddy. Her father said she travelled from Delhi to Kathmandu on August 23, taking an 11 a.m. flight, but there has been no communication from her since the evening of August 25.
S. Laxminarayana, Assistant Secretary to the Telangana government, said identifying missing persons is challenging because of the situation on the ground. “Twenty-six persons who are natives of Telangana have been identified in connection with the situation. The difficult geographical conditions are the biggest factor complicating efforts to identify and trace missing persons,” he said.
Meanwhile, families of eight Indian-origin US nationals, mostly with roots in Telangana and Karnataka, have made an urgent appeal for information after the group became uncontactable in Nepal on August 26. The group was travelling to Mount Kailash-Mansarovar through Nepal, as part of an arrangement facilitated by Classic Vacations, a Nepal-based travel agency. According to information shared by the families, the group’s last known contact was around 8.30 a.m. Nepal local time on August 26, when they were at the Rasuwagadhi Immigration Office near the Nepal-China border.
A note released by Telangana Bhavan on Sunday said that the family of Alli Ilesha, one of those stranded, had confirmed he was in contact with them and was expected to reach Hyderabad on Sunday night.
Telangana Bhavan officials in New Delhi said they were maintaining continuous coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, and Nepal Police to trace Telangana-linked persons, facilitate their safe movement, and assist in the identification and repatriation of mortal remains.
