New Delhi, July 3: Rains and bad weather have wreaked havoc on the ongoing Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with more than 1,500 Indian pilgrims stranded in Nepal.
Two pilgrims, Satya Lakshmi Narayana Subba Rao from Andhra Pradesh and Narayanam from Kerala, died, and 104 pilgrims were evacuated to Simikot from Hilsa.
Rescue operation is underway and seven flights are operating from Simikot to Nepalganj.
According to the Indian Embassy, which is monitoring the situation round the clock, the pilgrims are stranded in the Nepalganj-Simikot-Hilda route, some 423 kilometres form Kathmandu.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said about 525 pilgrims are stranded in Simikot, 550 in Hilsa and another 500 are stuck in Tibet side.
Indian pilgrims stranded in Nepal – There are about 525 pilgrims stranded in Simikot, 550 in Hilsa and another 500 in Tibet side. /1 #IndiansStrandedInNepal
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 3, 2018
She said India has requested the Nepal government for army helicopters to evacuate stranded Indian nationals.
In a series of tweets, Swaraj said India has set up hotlines for pilgrims and their family members who will be provided information in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages.
We have requested Government of Nepal for army helicopters to evacuate stranded Indian nationals. /4 #IndiansStrandedInNepal
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 3, 2018
She said that they have also set-up hotlines for pilgrims and their family members who will provide information in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages.
We have set up hotlines for pilgrims and their family members who will provide information in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam languages. /5 #IndiansStrandedInNepal
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 3, 2018
The Embassy of India in Kathmandu is monitoring the situation along Nepalganj-Simikot-Hilsa route of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (through Nepal). As of July 3, the weather situation remains inclement and there is very little chance of operating evacuation flights.
Indian Embassy in Nepal has deployed representatives in Nepalganj and Simikot. They are touch with the pilgrims and ensuring that food and lodging facilities are available to all the pilgrims. /2 #IndiansStrandedInNepal
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 3, 2018
The mission has placed its representatives in Nepalganj and Simikot, who are personally in touch with each and every stranded pilgrim. The representatives are ensuring that proper food and lodging facilities are available to all the pilgrims.
In Simikot a health check up has been done on all the elderly pilgrims. They are being provided required medical help. In Hilsa we have requested police authorities for necessary assistance. /3 #IndiansStrandedInNepal
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 3, 2018
The mission representative in Simikot has pressed in service of available medical practitioner in Simikot to get a health check-up done for all elderly pilgrims.
In case of any medical complication, they are being given preventive medication and medical counseling.
The mission representative in Simikot is also in touch with police authorities at police check post in Hilsa. The police authorities have been requested to take care of all the pilgrims and ensure best possible assistance to them.
The mission has asked all tour operators to try and hold pilgrims back in Tibet side as far as possible since the medical and civic facilities on Nepal side are inadequate.
They have further been told to accord first priority in clearing up situation in Hilsa, which is the most infrastructure lean place in the area.
The mission is looking at various alternatives of evacuating people from Simikot, including searching for alternative routes (Simikot-Surkhet/Simikot-Jumla/Simikot-Mugu).
All these routes, however, appear to be as difficult as Simikot-Nepalganj. It is also trying to press in services of Nepal Army helicopters, which have superior abilities of operating in difficult terrain.
Source Tribune India
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