Tamil Nadu pilgrims missing in Nepal flash floods

Massive flash floods and mudslides in Nepal have left 84 Tamil Nadu pilgrims missing while on the Mount Kailash Yatra. Out of 305 travelers, 220 have been confirmed safe, including a group of 21 who survived a treacherous climb near Timure by using a saree as a makeshift rope to pull women up a muddy slope.

Tamil Nadu Highways Minister Aadhav Arjuna reported that 49 pilgrims traveling via Mahadev Yatra from Chromepet remain unaccounted for, while 21 of the 57 travelers from the Super Yatra group have been rescued. The state government is coordinating rescue efforts through the Indian Embassy and has established a dedicated call center at the Tamil Nadu House in Delhi to assist families.

The state has also offered to transport relatives of the missing individuals to Kathmandu free of charge. These events occur amidst a broader disaster in Nepal, where the death toll from recent flooding has reached 903 with thousands more reported missing.