The number of travelers linked to Telangana missing in the Nepal flash flood disaster has risen to 25, up from 23 a day earlier. Fresh calls from worried families continue to reach the Telangana government’s helpline.
The two latest additions are NRIs with Telangana roots who were part of an Isha Foundation group travelling on the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. The state government is coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Nepal to trace those still unaccounted for.
Officials expect a clearer picture by Monday, August 31. Some missing travellers could be in hospitals or may have been moved to Kathmandu before being sent back to India. So far, the state has confirmed the repatriation of one person, Ailla Nesha from Ranga Reddy district.
The disaster has left several Telangana families in deep uncertainty. One missing traveler is a US citizen who grew up in Hyderabad and whose family still lives in the city. She was travelling with the Isha Foundation group and was last known to be at an immigration facility in Nepal.
Another US citizen, Deepak Nand, came to Hyderabad to be with his 13-year-old son after his wife, Sridevi Vejella, went missing. He has appealed for information about the group and possible survivors.
The wider group includes 10 Indian-origin travellers based in the US and Hyderabad resident Rallagudam Dhanpal Reddy, 38, from Manikonda. Dhanpal Reddy had posted pictures from the Rasuwagadhi border around 8:04 am on Wednesday, shortly before communication was lost.
Nine others are US citizens of Indian origin, while Mahendra Gupta is a Canadian citizen. The group was last known to be near the Rasuwagadhi Immigration Office around 8:30 am when the floods hit.
Among the missing is Laxminath Gopishetty, CEO of Infosys Public Services. Infosys said his safety remains its immediate concern.
The disaster has killed 724 people and left around 2,500 missing, according to Nepal authorities. Rescue teams continue searching the affected areas, while Nepal Police has launched an online system to help families identify recovered bodies.
For the families waiting in Hyderabad and elsewhere, every hour brings more anxiety. Their biggest hope now is that the missing pilgrims are found alive and brought home safely.
