Vijay Singh and Kali Devi, who lost family members in the Uttarakhand flood — though Indian media have reported them as Nepali citizens, their exact address in Nepal has not yet been confirmed.
On August 4, in Dharali village of Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, India, sudden floods and landslides caused heavy loss of life and property. Relief and rescue operations are still underway.
Kali Devi and her husband, Vijay Singh, who had gone there for wage labor, shared their terrifying experience of the flood with an Indian online media outlet. Although they managed to save their own lives, they said that the flood swept away many others, including Nepalis.
Recalling the final two-minute phone call with his son, Vijay Singh said, “He told me, ‘Father, I don’t think we will survive; there’s a massive flood here.’”
Singh had been working in a group of 26 Nepali laborers assigned to road and bridge construction in India. They had left his son at the place where they were staying before going to work.
Vijay Singh’s wife, Kali Devi, said, “When we left for work, we never imagined such a massive disaster would strike. If there had been prior warning about the flood, I would never have left my child here.”
She appealed to the government, saying, “Please take us to the flood- and landslide-affected Harshil Valley so that we can search for our children ourselves.”
The permanent address of Kali Devi and Vijay Singh in Nepal is still unknown.
Although Indian media outlets have reported that Kali Devi and Vijay Singh are Nepali citizens, their exact address in Nepal has not been confirmed. According to Indian journalist Saurabh Sharma, who traveled to Uttarakhand to cover the story, the couple told him that they are Nepali nationals. Speaking to Onlinekhabar, Sharma said he is trying to gather more details about them.
Sharma has posted a short clip of his video conversation with Kali Devi on his Facebook Reels. In it, Kali Devi says, “We were 26 Nepalis. In that group were my son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. All of them were swept away.”
How many Nepalis were affected so far?
According to Nepali authorities, at least 17 Nepali citizens have so far been reported affected by the Uttarakhand floods and landslides. Of them, 13 are from Jajarkot, 4 from Bardiya, and 1 from Jumla, all of whom are currently missing.
According to Harichandra Basnet, Chairperson of Kushe Rural Municipality in Jajarkot, Nepalis in the affected area have reported that flood and landslide victims include Karnabahadur Singh, Rambahadur Singh, Nim Singh, Rabin Singh, and seven others whose identities have not yet been confirmed, all from Ward No. 2, Talegaon.
Similarly, Chief District Officer Surendra Paudel said that Narendra Khadka, Saraswati Khadka, Amrita Pariyar, and Subas Bik from Madhuwan, Bardiya, have also gone missing after being swept away by the flood.
In addition, representatives from Tila Rural Municipality in Jumla have reported that Janak Bahadur Shahi, a resident of the area, has gone missing after being buried in a landslide.
Local municipalities have reported receiving information about Nepalis being among the casualties and have urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take initiatives for their search and rescue.
Prime Minister says diplomatic talks have been held through the embassy
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is returning to Nepal today after a visit to Turkmenistan, stated via Facebook that diplomatic discussions have been conducted through the embassy to assess the situation of the Nepalis and to facilitate their rescue.
According to Indian media, the flood — accompanied by debris flow — has destroyed roads, bridges, and other physical infrastructure. As a result, air rescue has become the only viable option. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that around 300 people have been airlifted from the affected areas.
In Uttarkashi, rescue operations so far have saved at least 70 civilians alive, while the bodies of at least six people have been recovered. Indian officials estimate that around 150 people in the area are still unaccounted for.
According to the Indian Army, a Junior Commissioned Officer and eight soldiers are also missing. Nine injured soldiers and three civilians, found in wounded condition, have been airlifted to Dehradun, where they are undergoing further treatment.
Additionally, three seriously injured civilians have been taken by ambulance to AIIMS Rishikesh, while another eight are receiving treatment at the Uttarkashi District Hospital.
