Seven From Bhadrak Among 51 Tourists Stranded In Nepal Amid Floods, Landslides

Bhadrak: Seven tourists from Odisha’s Bhadrak district are among 51 people who were left stranded in Nepal after flash floods and landslides disrupted their travel plans. The group has since been evacuated from the affected area and shifted to Bhairahawa (Siddharthanagar) as a precautionary measure.

The tourists, along with members from Kerala, had travelled to Nepal through Kailash Travelers, a Kolkata-based tour operator owned by Kailash Biswal of Nalgunda panchayat under Chandbali block in Bhadrak.

The group was travelling towards the mountainous region when sudden flooding and landslides forced them to halt their journey. As the water level in the Trishuli River rose rapidly and the current became dangerous, the tourists took shelter near the Manakamana Temple.

Nepal Police and local authorities subsequently stepped in to evacuate the stranded travellers. With the situation worsening around the Trishuli River, the group was moved from the temple area and taken to Bhairahawa by ropeway. They are currently staying at a lodge there.

The group includes 43 tourists from Kerala and seven from Chandbali in Bhadrak, besides tour operator Kailash Biswal, five cooks, Tuna Dash of Chandbali and Saurabh Banerjee of Kolkata.

According to the tourists, they had initially planned to cover nearly 200 km from Kathmandu towards the mountainous region by boat. However, after travelling around 70 km, they were forced to turn back when the river suddenly swelled. During the return journey, they encountered floodwaters and mudslides before reaching the safety of the Manakamana Temple.

“We were followed by floodwaters and mudslides. We finally took shelter at the Manakamana Temple,” members of the group said.

Meanwhile, flooding in the Trishuli River has also affected the Lhende Khola and Bhotekoshi river systems along the border areas of Rasuwa district. With heavy flooding and landslides continuing to pose risks, authorities shifted the tourists to Bhairahawa to ensure their safety.