Tamil Nadu: Retired nurse missing after Nepal flash floods, family prays for safe return

She said the family tried to contact Sundarambal after the flash floods, but her phone appeared to be switched off or disconnected.

Following the devastating flash floods in Nepal, Kanaga Sundarambal, a retired nurse from Tiruchirappalli, has gone missing, her neighbour and close family friend Aruljothi said. Speaking to ANI, Aruljothi said Sundarambal, who worked at a government hospital, had travelled to Nepal as part of a spiritual tour.

"She worked at a government hospital and has been a close family friend of ours for nearly 30 years. On August 15, my husband booked a train ticket and sent her to Chennai. From there, she travelled to Nepal as part of a spiritual tour," Aruljothi said. She said the family tried to contact Sundarambal after the flash floods, but her phone appeared to be switched off or disconnected.

"Following the accident that took place in Nepal two days ago, we tried to contact her over the phone, but we have been unable to reach her as her phone appears to be switched off or disconnected," she said. Aruljothi added that the family had also been trying to contact Sundarambal's daughter since Thursday but was informed that she had travelled abroad for work.

"Our only wish and prayer is that she returns home safely," she added. The family is now awaiting information about Sundarambal's whereabouts and hoping for her safe return.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the devastating flash floods that struck Nepal on Wednesday, August 26, has risen to 579, while the number of people reported missing has climbed to 1,924. As joint rescue and relief operations intensify following the flash floods along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors in Nepal, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that 84 Indian nationals have been successfully rescued.

According to MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the rescued individuals include 21 Tamil Nadu residents who returned to India on Friday, along with 63 workers deployed at the Trishuli-I hydropower project. (ANI)