2 days ago
Drivers’ Warnings Help Bengal Tourists Escape Nepal Flash Floods
A group of tourists from Bengal was travelling through Nepal toward Rasuwa for a Mansarovar trek.
Rasuwa is near a route leading toward Tibet.
Their local bus drivers noticed something was wrong and stopped or moved the buses away.
Some tourists were also delayed by a tea break and traffic.
Soon, flash floods struck the area.
People ran toward higher ground, including schoolchildren and elderly villagers.
The tourists saw dust, water and frightened people trying to save belongings.
Many returned safely to Calcutta, but police said 37 other Bengal travellers were still untraced on Sunday evening.
Bengal tourists travelling toward Rasuwa for a Mansarovar trek escaped flash floods after buses stopped or turned back.
Local drivers sensed danger, while traffic delays and a tea break also kept some groups away from the disaster.
Tourists described dust, panic, fleeing schoolchildren, closed shops and a huge wave moving toward a village.
Several groups returned safely to Calcutta by flight on Saturday and Sunday without physical injuries.
Police said 37 people from Bengal who travelled to Kathmandu remained untraced on Sunday evening.
- Who
- Tourists from Bengal, including groups from Calcutta and nearby areas, travelling with local Nepali drivers; police were also seeking 37 untraced Bengal travellers.
- What
- Flash floods struck near Rasuwa, while several Mansarovar-bound tourist groups narrowly escaped after stopping or turning back.
- Where
- Near Rasuwa, Nepal, on the Kathmandu route toward Mansarovar and Tibet.
- When
- The tourists encountered the danger around late morning; the accounts were reported after groups returned on Saturday and Sunday, with the untraced-person update given Sunday evening.
- Why
- Drivers sensed danger or received warnings about a sudden flash flood, prompting buses to stop, delay their journeys or move toward higher ground.
Key facts
- Destination
- The groups were travelling toward Mansarovar via Rasuwa, Nepal.
- Route
- They had taken the Kathmandu–Rasuwa route, one of three routes described by tour operators.
- Warning signs
- Drivers noticed something was wrong, and bikers warned one group of a “Harpa Ban,” or sudden flash flood.
- Tourist experiences
- Witnesses reported a wave of water, white dust, panic, fleeing schoolchildren and villagers moving uphill.
- Safe returns
- Several tourists returned to Calcutta by flight on Saturday and Sunday and reported no physical injuries.
- Untraced travellers
- Police said 37 people from Bengal who had travelled to Kathmandu remained untraced on Sunday evening.
- Timing
- One group reached the Rasuwa area around 11:30 a.m., after stopping for tea between 9 and 9:30 a.m.
Quotes
Moloy Kumar Roy
A 63-year-old retired insurance employee from Mukundapur who was part of the Mansarovar tourist group.
“As our bus began returning towards Kathmandu, I caught a glimpse of a huge wave of water moving towards the village. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. The sky suddenly appeared smoky and white. People were running in panic, carrying whatever valuables they could save.”
telegraphindia.com
“Fortunately, our Nepali driver understood what they were saying and decided to take us towards the hilltop, away from the danger. I was sitting by the window of the bus when I suddenly saw the clear, sunny sky turn smoky.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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