Twenty-one pilgrims from Tamil Nadu stranded in Nepal following devastating flash floods have been rescued, the Ministry of External Affairs said. However, several tourists and pilgrims, including former Madras High Court judge Justice Sivagnanam, remain untraced. Tamil Nadu government has deployed officials to coordinate rescue and relief efforts.

Chennai: In the first breakthrough in rescuing Indian Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims and tourists caught in the flash floods in Nepal, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said 21 persons from Tamil Nadu have been rescued. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the name list of the 21 rescued pilgrims.

However, anxiety continued for relatives of the remaining tourists and pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, including Madras High Court former judge Justice Sivagnanam, who remained untraced. Tamil Nadu Information Minister Rajmohan told the Legislative Assembly that all 103 persons from Tamil Nadu and three from neighbouring Puducherry were stranded in Nepal. According to him, 20 of them were rescued (figures shared before the MEA put out the list) and efforts were on to find the others.

Rescue efforts underway

The pilgrims hailed from Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Krishnagiri, Tiruchi, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvarur, Chennai and Namakkal districts.