Telangana families await word on kin stranded in Nepal

Families and friends of Telangana natives stranded in Nepal following the flash floods and disruption on August 26 are struggling for information, with several saying they have had no communication with their relatives and loved ones for days and are relying on government agencies and informal WhatsApp groups for updates.

Subir Jha, whose niece Arushi Gupta is among those stranded, said the family last spoke to her around 7.50 a.m. on August 22. Arushi was visiting Nepal and staying in the affected region, he said, adding that the family is trying to get updates through government agencies and tour operators.

Mr. Jha said they were aware of the helpline centre established at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi and were trying to coordinate with authorities. Arushi has been staying in Hyderabad for the past five years, according to her uncle.

Another case involves Gopi Krishnamoorthy, a Hyderabad-born Australian citizen who is currently in Nepal. Chandra, a friend of Gopi, said there had been no information about him for around three days. He added that Gopi had travelled from Australia to Nepal with the Isha Foundation.

“We want to know the status,” Chandra said, expressing concern that neither family nor friends had received adequate communication. He said attempts to contact the relevant helpline numbers had not yielded a response either.

Stating that Gopi holds an Australian passport, Chandra said he also wants to know whether the Australian authorities had been contacted regarding his whereabouts. “If he is alive, it is good. If anything happens to him, or he is dead, there should be some communication,” Chandra said.

He also raised concerns about the absence of communication from authorities and the possibility of conflicting information circulating through different channels and social media platforms, which he said could cause further panic among families.

Another family awaiting information is that of Kandimalla Suhasini Reddy. Her father said she travelled from Delhi to Kathmandu on August 23, taking an 11 a.m. flight, but after August 25 evening, there has been no communication from her end.

S. Laxminarayana, Assistant Secretary to the Telangana government, said identifying missing persons is challenging because of the situation on ground. “Twenty-six persons who are natives of Telangana have been identified in connection with the situation. The difficult geographical conditions are the biggest factor complicating efforts to identify and trace missing persons,” he said.

Meanwhile, families of eight Indian-origin US nationals, mostly with roots in Telangana and Karnataka, have made an urgent appeal for information regarding their whereabouts after they became uncontactable in Nepal on August 26. The group was travelling to Mount Kailash-Mansarovar through Nepal, as part of a travel arrangement facilitated by Classic Vacations, a Nepal-based travel agency.

According to information shared by the families, the group’s last known contact was around 8.30 a.m. Nepal local time on August 26, when they were at the Rasuwagadhi Immigration Office near the Nepal-China border.

A note released by Telangana Bhavan on Sunday, said the family of Alli Ilesha who was among the stranded had confirmed that he was in contact with them and was expected to reach Hyderabad on Sunday night.

Telangana Bhavan officials in New Delhi said they were maintaining continuous coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Embassy of India in Kathmandu and Nepal Police to trace Telangana-linked persons, facilitate their safe movement and assist in the identification and repatriation of mortal remains.