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Vallinayagi from Thillai Nagar in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, who had travelled to Kailash Yatra, was rescued from Nepal following the flood and recounted the horrors of the disaster as she returned home safely amid sustained efforts by the Central and State governments.
The devastating flood that struck Rasuwa in Nepal last week has left 939 people dead, while search operations continue for those still missing. Vallinayagi's family members received her with emotional embraces and tears, performing an aarti to welcome her home. After reaching home, Vallinayagi offered prayers at the family shrine before spending time with her family. Recalling the incident, Vallinayagi told ANI that she had travelled from Chennai on August 23 for the Kailash Yatra. While travelling by vehicle from a place called Jiawusi in Nepal towards the Chinese Embassy, they encountered heavy traffic. She said they were surrounded by darkness and initially could not understand what was happening, only later realizing that they had been caught in a massive flood. She said they broke the window glass of the bus and escaped, chanting "Shivaya Nama." Only after coming out did they realize the extent of the devastation. Fearing for their lives, they fled the area. She said they could have been swept away had another surge occurred, but there was no further surge. She noted that all of the people travelling with her were rescued through a temporary helipad. After information was conveyed to officials at the State Secretariat, they were subsequently rescued through the Indian Embassy and safely brought back to India. Vallinayagi expressed her gratitude to the Central and State governments, saying they had played a significant role in rescuing them from Nepal and ensuring their safe return home. She said visiting Kailash had been her lifelong dream and that she had been trying continuously since 2023. Although she finally got the opportunity in 2026, she could not complete the pilgrimage and have darshan at Kailash. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday informed that 158 Indian citizens had been evacuated safely from Nepal so far. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has set up a three-member nodal team in Kathmandu to coordinate rescue operations and assist relatives of Tamil tourists stranded or missing in flood-hit Nepal. (ANI)
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