Kolkata: Every unknown call has become a flicker of hope and every news alert a fresh trigger of dread for families in Kolkata waiting for word from relatives still untraceable in Nepal, more than 1,000 km away, as a fresh flood warning on Friday temporarily halted rescue operations.With water levels rising near the Tibet border and authorities warning of flooding in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli areas, 22 families of the 32 missing tourists from Kolkata and other parts of Bengal spent another agonising day watching television and scanning social media for signs that their loved ones were safe.For Sunanda Howladar of Parnasree, Behala, the uncertainty over the wellbeing of her father Ranjit (63) has become unbearable. “I don’t know where I can get any information about him. I am attending every call from unknown numbers, hoping there will be some positive news. But all calls are ending with hollow assurances. The fact that rescue work has come to a halt because of the fresh warnings is further dampening our spirit,” she said.In New Town, Rajarshi Roy Chowdhury, son of Debabrata (67) and Lekha (62), has been spending sleepless nights since returning from Delhi. “The administration is in touch with us and I am personally calling up embassies in Nepal and Beijing for any information available. Sitting so far away, I don’t even know what I should do,” he said.In Netaji Nagar, Gunja Mukherjee is trying to keep her mother calm while waiting for news of her sister Rina Banerjee. “I spoke to her last on Monday afternoon. We have been trying her number after receiving the news of the flood, but it is not connecting. We are also watching the news and calling the government helpline. There is no news of her safety,” she said.The family of Amarnath Pal, 61, of Patuli, is similarly distraught. “There is no news yet of my father. We have called every possible helpline, but there is hardly any information,” said his daughter Rupama Pal.In Santoshpur’s Eastern Park, neighbours awaited news of Manas Kumar Ghosh and Deepali Sarkar. “We are regularly watching the news as there is no other way of finding out about them,” said Pinky Dutta.A landslide-dammed lake on the Nepal-China border began overflowing on Friday, triggering a fresh alert. The external affairs ministry said 96 Indians had crossed into Nepal from Tibet and around 400 stranded on the Chinese side were safe, but families said the absence of names offered little relief.“Until we get some concrete information, such news means nothing,” said Debasis Thakur, a friend of missing Durgapur couple Mousumi and Arindam Ganguly.
