219 Stranded Tamil Nadu Residents Rescued from Flood-Hit Nepal, 100 Missing

A total of 219 out of 319 people from Tamil Nadu stranded in flood-hit Nepal have been rescued and are returning to the state, while 100 people remain missing, State Minister Rajmohan announced upon his arrival at Chennai airport on Sunday.

A ministerial team comprising Aadhav Arjuna, Rajmohan, Thennarasu, and Vinoth had travelled to Delhi on the instructions of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay to coordinate rescue efforts with central authorities. While the rest of the team returned to Chennai late on Saturday night, Minister for Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Department Thennarasu remained in Delhi to oversee ongoing operations.

Speaking to reporters at the Chennai airport, Rajmohan said the state government set up a dedicated war room at Tamil Nadu House in Delhi. The team coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Government of India, and Nepalese authorities to trace and evacuate stranded travellers.

According to the minister, 319 residents had travelled to Nepal through various groups. Of the 219 accounted for, 21 rescued individuals were initially brought to Delhi. Another group of 57 people had travelled through a Kumbakonam-based travel agency, from which 21 have been brought safely to Chennai while efforts continue to locate the remaining 36.

Additionally, a group of 150 people who travelled via the China border successfully reached Kathmandu and are returning on different flights. Another group of 39 people has been confirmed safe, with 33 scheduled to arrive in Coimbatore and six in Chennai.

However, 100 people remain untraced, including 49 individuals who travelled as part of the Mahadevi pilgrimage. Rajmohan noted that more than 15,000 army personnel from both India and Nepal are involved in the large-scale search and rescue operations, which include helicopter missions and medical teams.

Rajmohan added that unclaimed bodies have been recovered from the disaster zone and efforts are currently underway to establish their identities.