37 Nepal Flood Survivors from Thane, Dombivli and Region Return as Search Continues
A batch of 37 tourists from Thane, Dombivli, Pune, Alibag, and Raigad who were stranded in Nepal following deadly flash floods are scheduled to return to Mumbai on Saturday evening. The group is flying back from Kathmandu after surviving the disaster triggered by a glacier collapse that claimed at least 579 lives.
According to the Maharashtra government, over 395 tourists from the state were stranded across various parts of Nepal. While more than 140 tourists have begun their journey back home, over 60 individuals remain untraceable after floodwaters washed away roads and disrupted communication networks.
Dr Nitin Gandhi, one of the 37 returning tourists who had been on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, confirmed that the group was traveling to Kathmandu by road before boarding their flight. He added that another group of 16 people from north and south Kashi was traveling alongside them and that all members in the group were safe.
The state government established contact with the group through Bharatiya Janata Party state chief Ravindra Chavan. Mantralaya officials noted that the travelers had started their road journey from Saga on Friday morning and were headed to Kathmandu via the Nyalam check-post.
Meanwhile, families of several missing tourists in Thane continue to await news of their loved ones. Sanjay Patankar from Thane said his brother Satish and sister-in-law Rekha have not been reached since the floods hit. The couple was part of Dr Milind Chitley’s tour group and was present at the Timure immigration office on August 26 when the deluge struck. None of the members in that specific group have been traced so far.
Mantralaya officials stated that rescue operations are challenged by severe communication breakdowns in remote areas, where only armed forces devices function. The state disaster management cell is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs to track the missing tourists and arrange transport for those rescued.
