Twenty-nine people from a Nepalese-origin family living around Bhopal have reportedly gone missing after a flash flood struck while they were travelling to the Gosainkunda pilgrimage site in Nepal.
According to their relatives in Bhopal, all 29 missing people are related to one another. The group includes several family members, including brothers and their wives, sisters and brothers-in-law, and other relatives.
Devki Adhikari, who lives in Bhopal, said four members of her family were among those travelling to Gosainkunda. The group had planned the pilgrimage during the full moon. They were not from a single household but were relatives living in nearby areas.
Left their food and belongings and fled to higher ground
Devki said the group had no information about any immediate danger when they began their journey.
They stopped midway to have a meal, but later learnt that flooding was approaching and their lives were at risk.
The group reportedly left their food and belongings behind and ran towards the hills to save themselves. After climbing to higher ground, they took shelter on the roof of a house, hoping they would be safe there.
They then called their families and described the situation. According to Devki, they said their bus had been swept away by the flood and they were sheltering on the roof of a house.
They also told their relatives that their lives were in danger and they might not survive.
Rescue workers helping a woman enter a damaged house so she can retrieve her belongings.
Last call: ‘Take care of our children’
Devki said the family last spoke to the group at around 9.30 am the following morning.
During the call, they reportedly said, “Half the house has been submerged. We will not survive now. Take care of our children.”
Devki said the call did not appear to disconnect, but there was no response from the other end shortly afterwards. Since then, the family has been unable to contact any of the 29 people.
Relatives have continued trying to call them but have received no response. They have also been unable to get confirmed information from people in Nepal.
Devki said none of the 29 people has been traced so far. There is also no information about the bus they were travelling in, and no bodies have been recovered.
Broken Trishuli bridge makes rescue difficult
According to Devki, access to the area has become another major obstacle in locating the missing people.
A bridge over the Trishuli River has reportedly been damaged, cutting off the usual route. Devki said a journey that normally takes around 30 minutes now takes six to eight hours because people have to travel through unpaved roads, villages and mountainous routes.
With a major river in between and the bridge damaged, relatives are unable to reach the area easily despite their efforts.
A rapid flow of mud and water entering during the flash flood. Water can be seen coming over the immigration complex.
Families most worried about young children
More than 24 hours have passed since the incident, Devki said.
The missing people have family members living in different places. Some of the women are married and live with their in-laws, while some of the men are away for education or work.
Many of those who are missing have young children, which has become the family’s biggest concern.
Devki has appealed to the authorities to speed up the rescue and search operation. The families want information about their loved ones as soon as possible.
They are still hoping the missing people will be found safe. If there has been any loss of life, they want confirmation and the recovery of the bodies so that the families can inform and care for their children and other relatives.
