T’puram: Norka Roots CEO Rajesh Madhavan said that 53 Keralites, including children, were stranded in Nepal after the flash floods on Wednesday. Madhavan told reporters that network issues had stalled Norka’s efforts to establish contact with these people.A group of 36 from Kanhangad and a 16-member group from Kottayam are safe as they travelled to other parts of Nepal. We had contacted them, he said, adding that he had no further information on stranded Keralites.“Of the 53 Keralites who travelled to Nepal, some went as a group while others were on vacation. We rang up family members who had called us seeking information to confirm some details. We asked whether their folks had called recently or mentioned if they were heading to a specific location. We were not able to establish direct contact, but we know they are safe,” he said.Madhavan said Norka’s development officer in Delhi is coordinating efforts to track down Keralites and that the officer was in touch with the resident commissioner’s office and was giving information to the Indian Embassy. “There is no reason to panic. We have not heard of any casualty or severe distress and so we presume they are safe,” he said.Trikaripur MLA Sandeep G Varier wrote on social media that a group of tourists, including people from his constituency in Kasaragod, had reached a safe shelter in Nepal around 2.30am on Thursday.If family members are unable to contact their relatives who are in Nepal for tourism, they should inform the chief minister’s office at 944 7111844/9747132147.
