Ottran Dorai | ஒற்றன் துரை

Took off for Katmandu yesterday, blissfully unaware of the drama that had taken place in the hills and caused such catastrophic damage. A severe, sudden flash flood struck northern Nepal’s Rasuwa district near the Tibet border, causing widespread destruction along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. Global warming and/or an earthquake in Tibet may have caused a large chunk of a glacier to break off and fall into the valley below, experts surmise. Learned on arrival of the loss of life (now confirmed at 160 so far) and the fact that some 2000 or more people are estimated to be missing. Raging floodwaters destroyed at least 19 motorable bridges, washed away roughly 40 km of the Betrawati–Rasuwagadhi highway, and heavily damaged eight operational hydropower projects. I fully support the Indian government’s immediate pledge of relief assistance. Nepal needs all the help it can get. My heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones, who include large numbers of Indian tourists, including a hundred performing the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra. Prayers for the missing; may they be rescued soon. 🙏🏼