Bhubaneswar, August 28: Naveen Patnaik, the president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and leader of the opposition, expressed deep sorrow on Thursday over the tragic loss of life caused by the devastating flash floods and landslides in Nepal’s Bhotekoshi River.
Patnaik shared his condolences on his ‘X’ handle, stating he was saddened to learn about the fatalities and extended his sympathies to the families who have lost their loved ones.
The BJD leader also raised concerns regarding Indian nationals who are currently missing in the aftermath of this disaster. He urged for swift rescue operations and prayed for the safe return of those who have lost contact.
Among the missing individuals are a couple from Odisha, Sandeep Mahapatra and Siddharth Kumari Sahu. This couple has been residing in Australia since 2018 and had arrived in Nepal for a holiday on August 22.
The state government reported that their phone numbers are currently unreachable. Authorities have gathered information from Mahapatra’s sister and shared it with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for necessary action.
Surya Banshi Suraj, Odisha’s Minister for Youth and Sports Services, as well as the Odia Language, Literature, and Culture, previously stated that state officials are collaborating with representatives from the Indian government in Nepal to identify and assist the affected individuals and inform their families. He noted that the exact number of impacted Odia tourists and others is still being compiled and may take a day or two to finalize.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Thursday that 290 Indians are currently out of contact following the catastrophic floods that wreaked havoc across the Himalayan nation.
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