Nepal floods: Congress urges Centre to deploy all measures for safe return of stranded Indians

With several Indian nationals reported missing and hundreds stranded following devastating flash floods in Nepal the Congress on Thursday urged the Centre to deploy all possible measures including road and air evacuation and emergency relief camps to ensure their safe returnCongress general secretary incharge of organisation K C Venugopal said the scale of destruction caused by the floods was unprecedented and called for relief efforts to focus on saving as many lives as possibleThe flash floods in Nepal have shocked us all The scale of devastation is unprecedented and all possible relief efforts must be focused on saving as many lives as possible Venugopal said in a post on XThe Congress leader said the party had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the government to take all necessary steps to bring stranded Indian citizens back safelyCongress seeks road and air evacuation measuresHundreds of Indian tourists are stranded in Nepal and we have written to the PM urging him to ensure complete deployment of all measures road and air evacuation as well as emergency relief camps for the safe return of our citizens back from this tragedy Venugopal saidThe partys appeal came as authorities continued efforts to establish contact with Indian tourists and pilgrims who may have been affected by the floods in NepalSeveral Indian state governments and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu have set up helplines and control rooms to collect information about citizens who may be stranded or missing in floodhit areasCommunication and transport disruptions in affected regions have made it difficult for authorities and families to establish contact with those caught in the disasterJaishankar says India making urgent effortsEarlier External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India was making urgent efforts to ascertain the status and wellbeing of Indians stranded in floodaffected areas of NepalHe made the remarks after holding a highlevel meeting on the situation Indian envoys in Kathmandu and Beijing also joined the meeting virtuallyThe government has been coordinating with diplomatic missions and relevant authorities as efforts continue to gather information about Indian nationals affected by the disasterThe situation remains challenging in several areas because of the scale of the floods and disruption to communication linksNepal says nearly 300 Indian tourists among those missingNepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said nearly 300 Indian tourists were among thousands of people reported missing after flash floods swept through parts of the NepalTibet borderThe floods caused widespread devastation in the affected areas leaving authorities engaged in rescue operations and efforts to trace those who remain unaccounted forThe exact number of Indian citizens missing or stranded is still being assessed as information continues to emerge from different affected locationsThe Congress had on Wednesday also urged the government to intensify efforts to trace Indians who had gone missing in Nepal and provide assistance to their familiesCongress leaders express solidarity with NepalCongress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had earlier expressed condolences to those who lost family members in the disasterBoth leaders said they stood in solidarity with the people of Nepal during what they described as a period of grief and crisisThe Congress has called for a coordinated response to assist Indians affected by the disaster and facilitate their safe evacuation wherever requiredWith inputs from PTI