8 Assam workers rescued from flood-hit Nepal, search on for 5 missing

Eight migrant workers from Assam who were stranded in flood-ravaged Nepal have been evacuated and brought back to the state, while search operations continue for five of their colleagues who remain missing.

The 13 workers from Assam were deployed at a power grid company site in Nepal when a sudden surge in floodwaters reportedly raised the water level by nearly 60 feet, submerging the worksite and surrounding areas.

The workers managed to escape to nearby hills as the waters rose rapidly and remained stranded on high ground for three days. Nepal's military personnel air-dropped food and drinking water to the stranded workers before disaster response teams launched a helicopter evacuation operation.

The survivors were subsequently airlifted to Kathmandu.

The rescued workers said arrangements for their return were expedited following the intervention of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. An Assam Police team took custody of the eight workers at the India-Nepal border late on Sunday and escorted them safely to Dhubri.

The eight workers left Dhubri early Monday morning for their respective home districts.

Those rescued have been identified as Pankaj Barman of Nalbari, Gopal Chand Debnath of Sonapur, Gautam Das of Doboka, Shilva Marak of West Karbi Anglong, Ilipson Sangma, Samar Bezbaruah, Sarbhishon Marak and Chanreshwar Narzary.

The workers, on reaching Assam, recounted their experience of the flash floods and expressed concern over the five colleagues who remain untraced.

The missing workers are reportedly from Nagaon, Nalbari and Karbi Anglong. State authorities are coordinating with Nepalese authorities and rescue agencies to trace and locate them.