Sixteen non-resident Indians from Telangana remain missing following devastating flash floods in Tibet and Nepal, with search and rescue operations continuing in the affected regions. The disaster has left hundreds missing, while the death toll has crossed 450, according to the report.
Among those whose whereabouts remain unknown is 60-year-old Sai Prasad Somayajulu, a Canadian who had moved to Hyderabad around two years ago. Somayajulu had been preparing for a journey to Kailash Mansarovar and was determined to make sure he was physically prepared for the demanding terrain.
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His nephew, Praveen, recalled how Somayajulu had spent hours climbing up and down 14 flights of stairs at his apartment complex in Hyderabad in preparation for the pilgrimage. According to Praveen, Somayajulu was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and was keen to undertake the difficult trek.
Somayajulu is among the 16 Telangana NRIs who have been reported missing since flash floods struck parts of Tibet and Nepal. The situation has triggered concern among families and authorities as rescue teams continue efforts to locate those who remain unaccounted for.
The disaster was reportedly triggered by an earthquake and an avalanche, leading to severe flooding and widespread destruction in the affected areas. The scale of the disaster has made rescue operations challenging, with hundreds of people still missing.
Meanwhile, authorities are continuing to track people who may have been caught in the disaster. The search is not limited to Telangana, with neighbouring Andhra Pradesh also reporting missing persons.
Around 10 people in Andhra Pradesh are still believed to be missing, according to the report. In a separate development, an Andhra Pradesh government official said a group of 28 people from Tirupati had been traced to Kathmandu.
The tracing of the Tirupati group offers some relief amid the continuing uncertainty surrounding those still missing. However, families of the Telangana NRIs continue to await information about their relatives.
The situation highlights the difficulties faced by travellers caught in the sudden natural disaster across the region. With flash floods affecting areas in Tibet and Nepal, rescue agencies have been working to locate missing people and establish the whereabouts of those who may have been stranded.
For the families of the missing Telangana NRIs, the search remains a tense and uncertain wait. The account of Somayajulu’s preparations for his Kailash Mansarovar journey has also brought a personal dimension to the wider disaster, underscoring the individual stories behind the growing number of people reported missing.
As rescue operations continue, authorities are expected to keep working to trace those whose whereabouts remain unknown and provide information to their families. The disaster has already resulted in significant loss of life, while the continuing search for missing people adds to the uncertainty surrounding the aftermath.
With more than 450 people reported dead and hundreds still missing, the scale of the tragedy remains significant. For those awaiting news from Nepal and Tibet, the ongoing rescue operations remain their main hope of finding their loved ones.
