Nepal floods: No contact with 288 Indians as communication lines "totally disrupted," says MEA

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday said a large group from Sadhguru's Isha Foundation also remains untraceable in the Himalayan nation, while 21 people from Tamil Nadu have been rescued. Several Indians also remain stranded on the Chinese side, he said.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday said India has sent two aircraft carrying relief materials to Nepal as part of its assistance following the disaster. He said communication lines in the affected areas have been "totally disrupted".

Providing details of the Indians who remain uncontactable, Jaiswal said, "The first group of 73 people who are working on the Trishuli-1 power project...Our embassy in Kathmandu is in touch with the project head to get more details about these people...Then, two separate groups of 37 and 49 nationals from Tamil Nadu, who travelled for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Samrat and Fly Everest Travels. There is a group of 32 Indian nationals from West Bengal who travelled with the help of Samrat Travels in Timure, which is in Rasuwa district. Then, a group of 61 Indian nationals from different states... and then a group of 33 Indian nationals from Kerala. These are five major groups who comprise, by and large, 288 people that we are talking about."

Indian diplomatic officials are in contact with those stranded in Nepal, the MEA said, as efforts continue to locate and evacuate affected nationals.

To coordinate emergency support following the catastrophic floods, the Ministry of External Affairs has established a dedicated control room at its New Delhi headquarters, while Indian diplomatic missions in Nepal have launched dedicated hotlines and maintained close liaison with respective state administrations.

According to the Nepal authorities, the death toll in the massive flash floods has risen to 258, with 910 people still missing, including 288 Indian nationals, in one of the country's worst disasters in recent years.

To assist affected Indian citizens and their families, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has released official emergency contact numbers, +977 985 131 6807 and +977 970 910 7500, for immediate assistance and updates.

Furthermore, the diplomatic mission confirmed that it is actively collaborating with relevant authorities in Nepal to expedite rescue operations and deliver timely relief to stranded compatriots, with these missions being continuously bolstered alongside the host government.

Complementing these diplomatic channels, the Nepal Tourism Board has rolled out dedicated helpline numbers to assist those impacted, featuring a toll-free line at 1234, a general hotline at 1144, and a specific Tourist Police contact number at 9851289445.

Additionally, for individuals stranded across the border, the Embassy of India in Beijing has made an auxiliary helpline available at 0086 185 1428 4905, which is accessible for real-time communication via WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, Nepal continues to battle the aftermath of a massive flash flood following a powerful surge along the Bhote Koshi River, resulting in a devastating loss of life, widespread displacement, and extensive damage to homes, roads, bridges, hydropower facilities, and other critical infrastructure. (ANI)