Hyderabad: At least 22 people from Telangana are feared missing in the Nepal flash floods, with anxious family members in the state making frantic calls to a helpline set up by the Telangana govt since Wednesday night after failing to contact their kin travelling in Nepal.About 200 people from the state, meanwhile, are stranded in China and Tibet after flash floods damaged roads, leaving them unable to reach Kathmandu to catch their return flights, said sources.Speaking to TOI on Thursday, officials handling the helpline said they had received around 80 to 100 calls from family members and others seeking information and assistance since the helpline was activated. They, however, said that at least 80% of the calls were from people whose kin were in Nepal but away from the affected areas. Many callers said they were worried after losing contact with their family members and being unable to reach them.“After the preliminary scrutiny and verification of the information received, 20 cases concerning 23 persons have been identified for further action and coordination. Of the 23, six are from Telangana and 17 are Telangana-origin NRIs. One of the 23 people has established contact with his family and has now been confirmed safe,” the officials said.Several people from Telangana who are reported missing are said to have been travelling in the Nepal–Tibet region, including those proceeding towards or returning from the Manasarovar Yatra. Their last known locations include areas around Rasuwa, Rasuwagadhi and Gyirong on the Nepal–Tibet border.Among those feared missing from the city is Alli Ilesha, an LLB graduate, who was part of a Kailash Mansarovar Yatra group that began its journey on Aug 18 with travel agency Leaf Holidays Treks & Expeditions. Official figures released by the Nepal Tourism Board said at least 55 travellers from the group, including 46 Indians, were missing from the affected area.“My brother called us on Aug 25 and showed us the place. He told us that he had to trek just another 25 km to reach his destination. That was the last time we spoke,” said Ilesha’s sister Anuradha, who lives in Chilkur. She added: “We are extremely worried as the ‘last seen’ on his WhatsApp status is 6 am on Wednesday. We have been unable to reach him and are worried about his safety.”Anuradha said the family had been calling the Telangana govt helpline numbers continuously since Wednesday night but had not received any information so far. “My brother goes on treks frequently. Almost every year he goes to Kedarnath. But this looks different. We don’t even know much about the tour company he roped in or about people in his group,” the anxious sister added.Similarly, several Indians, including people from Telangana, who travelled with Isha Foundation and Samrat Tours and Travels, among others, are also reportedly missing in the Nepal floods, officials said.Software entrepreneur K Suhasini Reddy, who lives in Australia but has roots in Hyderabad, is also reportedly missing after travelling to Nepal on Aug 23 for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Her father said she had travelled from the city for the yatra with a friend, and the family has been seeking updates on her whereabouts.Meanwhile, many people from Telangana who travelled for the yatra remain stranded in Saga, Tibet, and Darchen, China, as they struggle to find routes to the airport and return to India.
