Pilgrims from India recount escape from floods on way to Kailash
A group of female pilgrims from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu who were traveling to Mount Kailash in Tibet were rescued during floods in the Nepal and Tibet region. According to NDTV World, the women spoke to journalists about the evacuation at Kathmandu airport after being rescued.
Evacuation from buses
One of the pilgrims said that their group consisted of 60 people who arrived in three buses. According to her, near the river they saw a large column of smoke and initially thought an explosion had occurred. Later, streams of water carrying mud and sand rushed toward them.
The woman said that the passengers managed to get out through the driver's area and climb a small hill. Another participant in the trip said that one side of the bus was blocked by other vehicles, so people exited from the other side one by one. She described the situation as very dangerous.
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Statements by pilgrims and casualty data
The pilgrims also said that after the flood they saw outlines on a hillside that, in their view, resembled the face of the god Shiva. They showed a photograph of mud and debris on the slope and claimed that Shiva had saved them. Mount Kailash in southwestern Tibet is considered Shiva's abode in Hinduism.
NDTV World reported that as of Friday, the death toll from flash floods in Nepal and Tibet had risen to 482. Nearly 1,500 people were considered missing, including 178 Indian citizens. More than 1,500 injured people and people left isolated had already been rescued in various affected areas. Nepal Police issued a new warning after receiving information about a dam breach on the Tibetan side.
