Nepal floods: Kerala opens helpline to trace Malayalis among missing

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Wednesday said the state government was monitoring the situation in Nepal, where more than 100 Indians were reportedly missing after a flash flood.

The CMO said preliminary information suggested that more than 100 Indians were among those missing in the flash flood in Nepal.

As directed by Satheesan, Chief Secretary A Jayathilak was in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs to ascertain the situation, the CMO said in a statement. It also urged families unable to contact Malayalis travelling in Nepal to inform the Chief Minister's Office.

They can contact the CMO at 9447111844 or 9747132147, it said.

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The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority urged people to report details of Malayalis suspected to have been affected by the flash floods in Nepal through its toll-free number, 1070.

In a Facebook post, the KSDMA asked people to provide the person's name, date of travel, date they are believed to have reached the affected area, date of last contact, mobile number and the name of the agency that arranged their travel.

The information received would be compiled and conveyed to the Nepal government through official channels, it said.

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Several people were killed, and nearly 500 others were missing after a massive flash flood originating in Tibet swept through central Nepal on Wednesday, causing widespread damage to towns and villages, washing away bridges and damaging at least a dozen hydropower projects.

The missing include at least 105 Indians and 37 NRIs, with most of them headed for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet

The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River at around 9 am local time, affecting Rasuwa and Dhading districts bordering Tibet, officials said. It later spread to Nuwakot and Chitwan districts, damaging at least four permanent bridges and several temporary ones.

A flash flood is a sudden, rapid surge of water caused by heavy rain, dam or levee failure, or the sudden release of water from a blocked passage. It can rush through riverbeds, urban streets and mountain canyons, sweeping away everything in its path. PTI