Kathmandu, 26 August (H.S.): More than 250 pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar and Gosainkunda have lost contact following floods in Nepal, with most of them believed to be Indian nationals.

Tourist Police Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bishwaraj Adhikari said most of the pilgrims were travelling to Kailash Mansarovar and that contact had not yet been established with them. He said a large number of Indian pilgrims undertake the Mansarovar pilgrimage during this season.

According to DSP Adhikari, it is not yet clear how many pilgrims were present in total along the flood-affected routes. He said authorities were working in coordination with the concerned agencies to collect details and determine the exact number of travellers affected.

He said the administration was currently focused on ascertaining the whereabouts and condition of the pilgrims while simultaneously preparing for and coordinating relief and rescue operations. Disruptions to communication networks in the flood-hit areas have made it difficult to establish the pilgrims’ exact whereabouts and condition.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has remained in constant contact with the Nepalese government to gather further information about Indian pilgrims. India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, is personally in direct communication with Nepal’s Home Minister Sudan Gurung and Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and is discussing all possible measures to ensure the safe return of Indian tourists.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar