4 days ago
Indian Pilgrims Return to Nepal After Tibet Border Floods
Flash floods destroyed the main border crossing between Tibet and Nepal.
Many Indian pilgrims and other tourists were unable to leave Tibet.
On Saturday, they began using another crossing called Zhangmu.
One returning group included 31 people from Hyderabad.
G Sateesh Reddy said many buses and vehicles were heading toward Nepal.
The pilgrims learned about the flooding while walking around Mount Kailash.
Reddy said Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake were not affected.
The floods killed more than 600 people, according to the report.
Indian pilgrims stranded in Tibet began returning to Nepal through the Zhangmu border point on Saturday.
The main Gyirong-Nepal border post was destroyed by flash floods on Wednesday.
Hundreds of foreign tourists, mainly Kailash Manasarovar pilgrims, were stranded after the destruction.
Former DRDO Chairman G Sateesh Reddy was among a 31-member Hyderabad group returning through Zhangmu.
Chinese official media said 555 tourists were among 1,000 people evacuated from Gyirong County.
- Who
- Indian pilgrims and other foreign tourists stranded in Tibet, including a 31-member group from Hyderabad.
- What
- The pilgrims began returning to Nepal through the alternate Zhangmu border point after floods destroyed the Gyirong crossing.
- Where
- The affected border area was Gyirong in Tibet; pilgrims used the Zhangmu border point to enter Nepal.
- When
- The flash floods occurred on Wednesday; stranded pilgrims began crossing into Nepal on Saturday.
- Why
- The Gyirong-Nepal border post, the main entry and exit point through Nepal, was destroyed by flash floods.
Key facts
- Main border crossing
- Gyirong-Nepal border post
- Alternate crossing
- Zhangmu border point
- Affected pilgrimage
- Kailash Manasarovar Yatra
- Indian group
- 31 people from Hyderabad
- Evacuation figure
- Chinese official media reported 1,000 people evacuated from Gyirong County, including 555 tourists.
- Reported deaths
- The flash floods killed over 600 people, according to the report.
- Pilgrimage sites
- G Sateesh Reddy said Kailash Mountain and Mansarovar Lake were not impacted.
Quotes
G Sateesh Reddy
Former chairman of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation and member of a Hyderabad pilgrimage group
“I can see a lot of buses and vehicles travelling en route to Nepal through Zhangmu border point.”
m.rediff.com
“Otherwise, we have not felt any impact and continued our Parikrama”
m.rediff.com











