The government has said that around 5,000 Nepalis—including palanquin carriers, pilgrims, shopkeepers and hotel owners—were present in the Badrinath, Kedarnath and adjoining areas during the June 16-17 floods in the Indian state of Uttarakhand that killed more than 1,000 and disappeared as many.

A fact-finding mission deployed by the Nepali mission in New Delhi in the last week of August met several Nepalis doing business in the area. Officials from the State of Uttarakhand and other informed people reached a conclusion that approximately 5,000 Nepalis were there when the disaster struck. Around 3,900 palanquins carries to assist pilgrims, hundreds of pilgrims, 158 hotel owners and small vendors were present when the floods triggered landslide in the area, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Deepak Dhital.

“We don’t have the exact data on how many have gone missing, and how many are dead. Nepalis have lost approximately 4 million Indian rupees and some mules in the disaster,” he said quoting the team’s data.

After both sides failed to get the correct picture, the Indian side has suggested that the Nepal government collect data from all the 75 districts, from where the pilgrims left, to see whether they have returned or are in contact with their relatives.

Published on: 7 September 2013 | The Kathmandu Post