8 People From Bengaluru Stranded in Nepal Flash Floods, Rescue Efforts Underway

Eight people from Bengaluru have been stranded in Nepal following sudden flash floods, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said on Thursday. The Karnataka government has initiated measures to trace and rescue the affected individuals.

Speaking at a press conference, the Deputy Chief Minister confirmed that there were no reports of any casualties among the group so far. He said the state administration has reached out to the Resident Commissioner in New Delhi and plans to dispatch senior officials to Kathmandu to coordinate ground operations.

The state government has established emergency helplines for concerned families. Residents can contact 1070 or 080-22253707 to share information about missing or unreachable persons in Nepal.

Home Minister Priyank Kharge also urged stranded citizens and their relatives to use dedicated emergency contact numbers. The Nepal-based helpline numbers are +977 985 131 6807, +977 970 910 7500, and +977 981 032 6117, all of which are accessible through WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who was in New Delhi, spoke via video call to a flood survivor from Karnataka named Mallinath. During the call, Mallinath recounted that the floodwaters struck a location he had departed just 10 minutes prior. The Chief Minister advised him to remain in a safe area and assured him of complete government support, noting that officials are continuing efforts to establish contact with other tourists from the state.

To streamline rescue operations across Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), the Revenue Department's State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) has released a Google Form. Stranded travellers, their families, and tour operators have been urged to submit details to assist coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Embassy of India in Nepal, and the Embassy of India in Beijing.