New Delhi [India], September 1 (ANI): A group of 39 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims from Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, safely reached India on Monday after being detoured from their original return route due to devastating flash floods in Nepal.
The pilgrims had crossed the border into China for the 'Parikrama' on August 21 and 22, just days before the flash floods struck Nepal on August 26, washing away roads and critical infrastructure near the border.
Gomati Vijaykumar, one of the pilgrims from Tiruppur, expressed relief upon their arrival, noting that the group was ahead of the disaster timeline.
Speaking to ANI, she said, "We did not face any issues. We crossed the Kerung Bridge (Rasuwagadhi-Kerung border) on the 21st. The accident happened on the 26th. So we did not face any issues. As per the program, we came... We didn't see any witness and any places either (after the incident). Because we had crossed the place before. After that, we came from another way."
However, the return journey posed significant challenges as the floods had decimated the route they initially intended to take.
Yogesh, another pilgrim from the group, described the scale of the destruction they encountered while attempting to return.
"There were 39 people in our group; we started the journey from our village. Our route was to Kerung; from that route, we reached Mansarovar. While returning, the accident took place. Everything was taken away by the flood, immigration was affected, and none of the villages was left," Yogesh told ANI.
He further highlighted the coordinated efforts of multiple governments in ensuring their safe passage back to India.
"Initially, the same route had to be taken to return, but as everything was affected by the flood, we were detoured to another route with the help of the Chinese government. They have helped us a lot, escorting us to the border. Afterwards, the Nepal government escorted us to the Indian border with the help of the Tamil Nadu government and our central government," he added.
The flash floods, which occurred on August 26, caused widespread damage in the mountainous regions of Nepal.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the death toll rose to 903 on Monday, while around 4,247 people remained missing. A total of 10,451 people have been rescued so far.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Monday that 158 Indian citizens had been evacuated safely from Nepal following catastrophic flooding that struck the Himalayan nation during the preceding week. (ANI)
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims from Tamil Nadu return safely; recount detour after Nepal flash floods
