TRICHY: Around 57 people from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry travelled to Nepal through a travel agency in Kumbakonam for a Mount Kailash religious pilgrimage on August 23. Growing concerns suggest they may have been caught in the catastrophic flash floods triggered by the Bhote Koshi River.A catastrophic flash flood in Bhote Koshi River struck the Nepal-China border region on Wednesday, August 26, leaving dozens dead and hundreds of tourists and pilgrims from various countries missing.The travel agency named Super Yathra Agency in Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district was offering the Mount Kailash religious pilgrimage tour from August 23 to September 6. Their itinerary covered Kathmandu, Syabrubesi, Gyirong, Saga, Paryang, Lake Mansarovar, Darchen, Yam Dwar, Dirapuk, Dolma La Pass, Gauri Kund and Zuthulpuk.According to the itinerary, the group left Chennai on the night of Sunday, August 23, and landed in Kathmandu on Monday, August 24.Then, on Tuesday, August 25, 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 in three buses towards Gyirong. Among them, Sayed Umar Sadiq, M Ragunathan and K Venkatraman were acting as guides in three separate buses. Sayed Umar Sadiq, son of travel agency owner Syed Sadiq, is among the 37 people reported missing.Sayed Umar Sadiq is the son of Syed Sadiq, the Kumbakonam-based travel agency owner.There were 20 people in the bus in which Ragunathan was present. The 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 individuals aged above 60 years. Of the group, 16 are from Thanjavur, 12 from Cuddalore, 7 from Mayiladuthurai, 5 from Trichy, 4 from Chennai, 4 from Krishnagiri, 3 from Puducherry, 2 from Tiruvarur, 2 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.”Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expressed shock and dismay at the news reports. He said, “I have ordered the senior government 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.”Joseph 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,” Joseph Vijay added.Emergency Contact Numbers of Tamil Nadu government regarding the Nepal Flash Floods:Toll-Free (India): 1800 309 3793Missed Call (Abroad): +91 80 6900 9900Emergency Contact: +91 80 6900 9901Control Room for Tamil Nadu, Island, Puducherry (WhatsApp): 92895 16712
