Telangana NRIs missing as Nepal floods claimed lives and prayers
A group of Telangana NRIs remains uncontacted after floods in Nepal and Tibet, with at least 450 dead and hundreds missing. Officials say 288 people reported missing, while some have reappeared; rescue efforts continue amid bureaucratic hurdles and ongoing tracing.
Key takeaways
- A group of NRIs from Telangana is among those missing after the Nepal-Tibet floods.
- The disaster has killed more than 450 people, with hundreds missing and rescue efforts ongoing.
- 28 people from Tirupati were traced to Kathmandu and located at a hotel.
- Some individuals initially untraceable have reconnected with families, while others remain unreachable.
What Happened
The Indian Express reports that a group of NRIs from Telangana is among those unaccounted for after floods triggered by an earthquake and an avalanche affected Nepal and the Tibet region. The overall death toll cited is more than 450, with hundreds listed as missing and ongoing rescue operations. An official from the Andhra Pradesh government indicated that 28 people from Tirupati were traced to Kathmandu and were understood to be at a hotel there. A 60-year-old Canadian who had moved to Hyderabad two years ago—Sai Prasad Somayajulu—was last in contact an hour before the floods hit; his family said his phone subsequently stayed off and he was at the Nepal-China border immigration office at the time of contact. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that 288 people had been reported missing, many of them pilgrims. Some untraceable individuals subsequently reconnected with their families, while others remained unreachable at the time the report was prepared. Within India, families in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh continued to seek assistance as officials pursued leads with Nepalese authorities, which reportedly involved coordination with US authorities for some missing travellers holding US passports.
Among those later described as reachable again, Alli Ilasha, a 35-year-old Hyderabad-based businessman, told his sister that he had moved about 40 kilometers ahead of the landslide. In Andhra Pradesh, authorities continued to search for around 10 people believed missing. In Guntur, Aparna Kakani’s family said she had texted that she was safe, though calls remained difficult. The report notes a broader search in neighboring Andhra Pradesh as rescue teams and officials worked to track missing travellers and verify their safety statuses.
Why It Matters
The episode underscores the vulnerabilities facing Indians and other nationals caught in cross-border or regional disasters, especially when routine contact with families is interrupted. The authorities highlighted the complexity of tracking individuals who hold foreign passports, with Nepalese authorities reporting coordination primarily with the US embassy for some cases, complicating the family’s efforts to confirm safety. The continued missing status of a significant number of people amplifies concerns about the capacity and speed of rescue operations, visa- and passport-related bureaucratic hurdles, and the need for cross-border information sharing in disaster response. The Telangana government’s NRI cell is involved in coordinating with families seeking updates, indicating ongoing state-level involvement in a tragedy that spans international borders and multiple jurisdictions.
Background
Reportedly, the disaster resulted from a combination of an earthquake and an avalanche in the Nepal-Tibet region. The floods affected by this sequence of events disrupted communications and complicated search efforts, with authorities noting that many of the missing are pilgrims. The Indian government’s external affairs wing has been assisting families and tracking progress, while local state authorities in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have pressed for information and access to ongoing rescue operations.
Key Facts
- Over 450 people have died in the disaster linked to floods in Nepal and Tibet following an earthquake and an avalanche.
- Indian external affairs ministry said 288 people had been reported missing, including pilgrims.
- 28 people from Tirupati were traced to Kathmandu and reported to be at a hotel there.
- A 60-year-old Canadian resident of Hyderabad, Sai Prasad Somayajulu, was last in contact an hour before floods hit and reportedly at the Nepal-China border immigration office at that time.
- Some missing individuals who were untraceable initially later reconnected with their families.
- Alli Ilasha, a 35-year-old Hyderabadi businessman, said he had moved about 40 km ahead of the landslide according to his sister.
- In Andhra Pradesh, around 10 people are still believed missing; Aparna Kakani in Guntur later texted family to say she was safe.
- Rescue and tracing operations involve coordination with Nepalese authorities and, in some cases, other foreign authorities.
What Happens Next
The report indicates ongoing search and verification efforts, with families continuing to seek updates through the Telangana NRI cell and state authorities, as well as through international coordination where needed. The timeline for additional confirmations or recoveries remains dependent on rescue operations and cross-border information sharing with Nepalese authorities and other stakeholders.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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