21 Pilgrims Trapped in Nepal Flash Floods Return to Chennai

A batch of 21 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu who were caught in flash floods during a pilgrimage to Nepal returned safely to Chennai on Friday. Upon their arrival, they were received at the airport by State Minister for Rural Development N Anand, leading to emotional reunions with waiting family members.

The returning travelers recounted their experiences of horror and their narrow escape from nature's fury in the disaster-hit region. According to authorities, another 140 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu have been successfully rescued and are currently waiting for travel arrangements to make their journey back to the State.

However, anxiety persists as reports indicate that approximately 80 others from the State are yet to be traced. In response to the crisis, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay dispatched four State Ministers and senior officials to New Delhi to oversee and manage the rescue and evacuation operations from the national capital.

The team of Ministers stationed at Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi to coordinate the multi-agency efforts includes School Education Minister A Rajmohan, Public Works Department Minister Aadhav Arjuna, Agriculture Minister R Vinoth, and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Minister K Thennarasu. School Education Minister A Rajmohan stated that an estimated 400 persons from the State had traveled to Nepal to undertake pilgrimages.

To ensure direct coordination with local authorities in the affected areas, Ashish Kumar, the Resident Commissioner of Tamil Nadu House, has traveled directly to Kathmandu in Nepal.

Back in Chennai, relatives of those still stranded in Nepal gathered at the airport seeking updates on their family members' return, while families of the 80 untraced pilgrims waited anxiously for reassuring information regarding the ongoing search and rescue efforts.