6 days ago
India Opens 24/7 Control Room as 288 Indians Unreachable
Severe flash floods hit parts of Nepal near the border with China.
The floods also came from an area in Tibet, according to one report.
Many people are missing, including 288 Indian citizens.
India’s foreign ministry opened a help center that works all day and night.
Families can contact it by phone, WhatsApp or email.
Twenty-one Indian pilgrims from Tamil Nadu were rescued.
About 200 Indians on the Chinese side asked for help leaving the area.
Broken communication networks are making it difficult to contact people.
Reports disagree about the death toll, listing either 270 or 359, while authorities said 270 bodies had been recovered.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs opened a round-the-clock control room to assist nationals affected or stranded by floods in Nepal.
The MEA said 288 Indian nationals remain uncontactable, including 73 working on the Trishuli One Power Project.
Twenty-one Tamil Nadu pilgrims traveling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra were rescued, while about 200 Indians on China’s side sought evacuation help.
Flooding near the Bhotekoshi River along the Nepal-China border disrupted communications and damaged bridges, towns, villages and hydropower projects.
Reports gave differing death tolls of 270 and 359; Nepalese authorities said 270 bodies had been recovered in affected areas.
- Who
- Nepalese authorities, India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Indian nationals, and rescue teams.
- What
- India established a 24/7 control room after floods in Nepal left 288 Indian nationals uncontactable; 21 Indians were rescued and about 200 sought evacuation assistance.
- Where
- Flooding affected areas near the Bhotekoshi River and Rasuwagadhi along the Nepal-China border, including Nepal’s Rasuwa area and other central districts.
- When
- The floods struck on Wednesday, and the control room and rescue updates were reported on Thursday.
- Why
- The control room was created to coordinate assistance, provide information, and help families contact Indians affected or stranded by the floods.
Key facts
- Uncontactable Indians
- 288 Indian nationals remained out of contact, including 73 working on the Trishuli One Power Project.
- Indians rescued
- Twenty-one Indian nationals from Tamil Nadu were rescued after traveling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
- Evacuation requests
- Around 200 Indians stranded on the Chinese side sought assistance to evacuate.
- Reported death toll
- One report said 270 people had died, while another reported 359 deaths; Nepalese authorities said 270 bodies had been recovered.
- MEA contact numbers
- +91 11 2308 8718 and +91 11 2308 8719.
- MEA WhatsApp and email
- WhatsApp: +91 9968291988; email: [email protected].
- Embassy helplines
- +977 985 131 6807, +977 970 910 7500 and +977 981 032 6117, also available on WhatsApp.
Quotes
India’s Ministry of External Affairs
Indian government ministry providing emergency assistance contacts
“We have set up a control room in the ministry of external affairs here, which will function round-the-clock. Details of the helpline and the control room telephone numbers are being put out on our X handle, and you should be getting them soon. Our embassies, both in Kathmandu and in Beijing, have also set up 24x7 helplines.”
rediff.com
“The control room can be contacted at +91 11 2308 8718 +91 11 2308 8719. For WhatsApp calls/messages: +91 9968291988. Email: [email protected]”
rediff.com










