The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Thursday said 143 Indian pilgrims stranded in Nepal’s Simikot region have been evacuated to the city of Nepalgunj. Ten commercial flights were operated to evacuate the pilgrims, who were stranded after landslides caused by heavy rains hit the pilgrimage route. In all, 883 stranded pilgrims have been evacuated from Simikot to Nepalgunj and Surkhet in the last three days.
Around 500 Indians, however, are still stranded in Simikot and 350 in Hilsa. Nearly 550 pilgrims stuck in Tibet are safe, ANI reported. On Wednesday, the Indian Embassy helped evacuated 200 pilgrims from Hilsa to Simikot and 119 from Simikot to Surkhet.
Two pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have died so far in Nepal while returning from the pilgrimage.
Altitude sickness has become a major concern for those awaiting evacuation. Eight pilgrims have died of altitude-related illnesses, The Kathmandu Post reported. A pilgrim each from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have died of other ailments while returning from Kailash Mansarovar.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy on Thursday issued a revised advisory for pilgrims travelling to Kailash Mansarovar, asking them to undergo medical examinations before embarking on the journey. The embassy also asked them to carry medicines for up to a month since Simikot and Hilsa are “extremely infrastructure lean places” lacking even basic medical facilities.
The embassy said there is a high chance of pilgrims getting stranded at these places due to poor weather conditions. “Small aircraft/helicopters can only operate subject to suitable weather conditions in these places and their adjoining areas, as the terrain and route is extremely dangerous,” it added.
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