Efforts underway to bring back Assam residents stranded in flood-hit Nepal: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, August 28, said efforts were underway to ensure the safety and facilitate the return of people from the state who have been stranded in Nepal amid devastating flash floods.

Sarma, however, did not disclose the number of Assam residents who may be stranded or missing in the neighbouring country.

“We are aware of people from Assam stranded in Nepal amid the ongoing floods. We are in touch with their families and coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure their safety and earliest possible return home,” Sarma said in a post on X on Thursday.

Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota said the state government had not received any information from families seeking updates about their relatives or loved ones in Nepal.

The state government has set up a flood-related emergency help desk at Assam House in New Delhi to assist families and coordinate relief efforts.

The helpline numbers for emergency assistance are 011-23010299/98 and 28877111. People can also contact 9101089151 (Anuran Medhi) and 892057057 (Vinod Kalita) for assistance.

Meanwhile, the death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 469 on Friday, with more bodies recovered. A total of 1,545 injured and stranded people have so far been rescued from various affected regions, while 84 are currently undergoing treatment at hospitals in Kathmandu.

Search and rescue operations continued for the third day, with 7,451 security personnel, including 2,391 Nepal Army personnel, deployed across affected areas, according to the Nepal Police.

The disaster was triggered on Wednesday when an ice-rock avalanche caused by a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border sent a massive torrent of water, mud and debris downstream through central Nepal.

The flash floods devastated towns and villages, washing away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects.

The Assam government is coordinating with relevant agencies to ascertain the status of residents from the state who may have been affected and facilitate their safe return.