New Delhi, Aug 28: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said 400 Indian nationals stranded on the Chinese side of the border are safe and have contacted their families and travel agencies. However, 320 Indian nationals remain uncontactable or missing, while more than 100 people of Indian origin, who may hold other nationalities, are also unaccounted for.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a media briefing that 21 Indian nationals who had reached Kathmandu from the Chinese side arrived in New Delhi on Friday. Another 63 Indian nationals from Trishuli Power Plant-1 have been rescued, while 96 Indians who crossed from the Chinese side into Nepal will be evacuated.
Jaiswal said the MEA control room in New Delhi and the Indian Embassy’s control rooms in Kathmandu are working round the clock to coordinate rescue and evacuation efforts.
“On the Chinese side, 400 Indians are safe,” Jaiswal said, adding that many had contacted their families and travel agencies, while several families had also informed the MEA.
On Nepal’s response to India’s offer of additional rescue assistance, Jaiswal said India was sending a tunnel-rescue team and a medical team. New Delhi has also offered Bailey bridges along with technical teams, with one Bailey bridge already deployed in Nepal. India has also offered the services of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, which are on standby and ready to assist. “We await the response from the Nepal government,” Jaiswal said.
About The Author
