Tea break & an alert driver: How Kailash pilgrims narrowly escaped Nepal floods

A drone view shows rescue workers inspect the area and damaged structures. (AP Photo)

TIRUPATI: Twenty eight pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and

Karnataka

, who had a narrow escape from the devastating flash floods in Nepal, returned safely to their respective hometowns on Saturday.Speaking to TOI, Tirupati-based Sign In Travels managing director Pemmasani Venkataramana, who was part of the 28-member group undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar yatra, recalled how a brief tea break and a 10-minute delay proved crucial in saving their lives.“We were supposed to reach Syabrubesi, along the Nepal-Tibet border, early. But a tea break and a 10-minute delay saved the lives of all 28 of us. Our driver responded swiftly to the calamity, took a detour and moved us to safety,” Venkataramana said.Another pilgrim, Krishnaiah Muthyala of Visakhapatnam, said a three-day delay in obtaining their visas inadvertently saved the group from being caught in the flash floods.“Our group (28 pilgrims from AP, Telangana and Karnataka) was scheduled to visit Mansarovar. The three-day delay in getting our visas also delayed our overall journey. Otherwise, we would have been on the Syabrubesi bridge when it was washed away in the floods. All of us could have lost our lives,” Krishnaiah said.

Kalpana, another pilgrim from Tirupati, described the horrifying scenes she witnessed as the group came face to face with the devastation.

“After receiving our visas, we left the hotel at around 6.30 am. After travelling about 80 km, we stopped for a tea break. Just then, our driver received an alert about the flash floods ahead. He immediately took a U-turn and drove us to safety,” she said.“We saw several buses, including two carrying pilgrims from Kolkata, being swept away by the floodwaters right before our eyes. There was panic everywhere. Several villages were completely washed away or marooned.

We held our nerves as our driver transported us safely back to our hotel in Kathmandu,” Kalpana recalled.Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Bhavan officials in New Delhi confirmed that Bhaskar Shastry and three others from Kurnool district, who were part of a 144-member group, have safely reached Nyalam County. Arrangements have been made for their safe return to Kathmandu through the Kodari border.Their return flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi has been confirmed for Sep 1, the officials said, adding that they are closely coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs to trace and rescue people from the state who remain stranded in Nepal.