“A Second Birth”: Tamil Nadu Pilgrims Recount Harrowing Escape from Nepal Flash Floods

CHENNAI: For 21 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, the sound of an approaching engine will never be the same. After surviving a catastrophic avalanche-triggered flash flood in Nepal that decimated their convoy, the group returned to Chennai on Friday, describing their survival as nothing short of a “second birth.”

The survivors arrived at Chennai airport to an emotional scene, greeted by relieved family members and high-ranking officials. The disaster struck while the group was traveling in a three-bus convoy; a sudden, thunderous surge of debris and water swept away the vehicles leading and following them.

A Narrow Escape

Vijayabhuvaneshwari, one of the survivors, provided a harrowing account of the moments before the flood hit. “There was a loud noise, like a bomb blast,” she told NDTV. “The vehicles in front of and behind ours were washed away. Our vehicle became trapped between them, and we had to climb onto the roof to save ourselves.”

Fleeing for higher ground, the group eventually reached an Armed Reserve Police camp. “The police helped us and gave us shelter,” she added. When asked if she believed she would return home, her response was stark: “90 percent, no. I only thought about my daughter.”

Another survivor, Kirubathiri, reflected on the broader implications of the tragedy. “It is a new birth for me. I cannot complain, but climate change is real, and the poor always pay a heavy price for the climate wrongs of others,” she said.

The scale of the disaster was described by senior citizen pilgrim Vallinayaki as a “volcanic eruption of concrete” that seemed to devour everything in its path.

The Ongoing Search

While the return of these 21 individuals brought immense relief to their families, the broader situation remains critical. Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Raj Mohan stated that approximately 400 people from the state were estimated to be in Nepal during the disaster. While 140 have been confirmed safe, at least 80 remain missing.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met with the group, expressing his gratitude to the Nepali Army and the government for their swift rescue efforts. However, for many families, the relief is tempered by uncertainty.

At the Chennai airport, frustration grew over the lack of a centralized, verified list of survivors and those still missing. Praveen, whose father is among the unaccounted for, expressed his disappointment at the administrative gaps. “We need a government-verified list. Now there is confusion,” he said.

The situation has prompted legal action, with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the Madras High Court on Friday seeking greater transparency and urgent government intervention. A team of four Tamil Nadu ministers has been dispatched to Delhi to coordinate with central authorities and accelerate efforts to trace the missing pilgrims.

As the government works to streamline its response, families continue to wait in a state of anxious limbo, hoping that the “miraculous escape” experienced by the 21 survivors can be repeated for their loved ones. The tragedy has cast a spotlight on the vulnerability of travelers in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather events, serving as a sobering reminder of the climate crisis that the pilgrims feel is claiming lives far from home.