Nepal floods: 219 residents rescued; search on for 100, says TN Minister
Chennai, Aug 30 (IANS) At least 219 of the 319 Tamil Nadu residents stranded in flood-ravaged Nepal have been rescued, while search operations are continuing to locate the remaining 100, Minister Rajmohan said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport after returning from New Delhi, Rajmohan said the rescued residents were being brought back to the state in batches. Thirty-three people are scheduled to arrive in Coimbatore on a flight from Delhi on Monday evening, while six others are expected to reach Chennai later that night.
The minister said the Tamil Nadu government was coordinating with the Centre, Indian diplomatic officials and rescue agencies in Nepal to establish the whereabouts of those who remained missing.
Among the affected travellers was a 57-member group that undertook the journey through a Kumbakonam-based travel agency. Twenty-one members of the group have been rescued and brought safely to Chennai.
Rescue teams are still trying to trace the remaining 36 members.
The government is also awaiting information about 49 residents from Chromepet who travelled as part of the Mahadevi Yatra group. Their present location has not yet been confirmed.
Rajmohan said another group of 150 Tamil Nadu residents had reached Kathmandu through the China border and was returning to India on different flights.
An additional 39 people had also been confirmed safe.
Describing the floods as a disaster of international magnitude, the minister said the scale of the destruction and the difficult terrain were hampering rescue and identification efforts. Bodies and personal belongings could be carried hundreds of kilometres away from the worst-affected areas, making the search particularly challenging.
Military personnel and rescue agencies from both countries have been deployed in the affected regions. However, damaged roads, disrupted communication networks and severe weather conditions have complicated efforts to reach several locations.
A dedicated war room has been established at Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi to coordinate the rescue operation, collect information about stranded residents and assist their families.
State officials are maintaining contact with the Union government and other authorities involved in the mission.
Four Tamil Nadu ministers had travelled to New Delhi to supervise the coordination. Three returned to Chennai, while Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Minister K. Thennarasu remained in Delhi to monitor the rescue efforts and facilitate the safe return of the remaining residents.
–IANS
aal/dpb