Hooghly, 27 August (H.S.): What began as a trip filled with excitement has suddenly turned into a journey of anxiety for 65 tourists from the Arambagh subdivision of Hooghly district. The tourists are reportedly stranded in Nepal amid reports of flash floods and a major natural disaster in several parts of the country, leaving their families deeply worried.

According to reports, the bus carrying the tourists is currently stranded near Chetan Park, around 120 kilometres before the affected area.

The tourist bus reportedly left for Nepal on the evening of August 24. Among the 65 travellers were residents of Ward No. 3 of Arambagh and their relatives, two people from the Tirol Panchayat area, and several residents of Shyambati village under Kumursa Panchayat in Goghat.

After reaching Nepal on Thursday morning, uncertainty began to surround their journey. Family members became alarmed after watching reports of flash floods and natural disasters in different parts of Nepal on television. Their anxiety increased further when they were unable to contact the tourists by phone at times.

However, some family members later managed to speak over the phone with a staff member travelling on the bus through the bus owner. Several tourists also contacted their families through WhatsApp on Wednesday evening. Hearing from their loved ones provided some relief, although concerns over their safety remain.

The families said that the tourists are currently safe but should not be exposed to further risk. With the possibility of the situation in Nepal deteriorating further, they have urged the administration to take immediate steps to ensure that the tourist bus is brought back safely to Arambagh.

While the families remain anxious about the safety of their loved ones stranded in a foreign country, disturbing visuals of the disaster on television have added to their fears. Their only hope is that all 65 tourists return home safely.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey