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Shashi Tharoor was on way to Kathmandu as Nepal floods wreaked havoc: ‘Blissfully unaware of drama’
Shashi Tharoor said that he was unaware of what had unfolded in Nepal by the time he reached Kathmandu.
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Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who reached Kathmandu on Wednesday unaware of the devastating flash floods in northern Nepal, on Thursday expressed concern over the deaths and large-scale destruction caused by the disaster.
At least 177 people were killed, while over 800 remain missing in the deadly flash floods, Nepali authorities said on Thursday. Follow live updates related to floods here.
Tharoor on Nepal floods
"Took off for Kathmandu yesterday, blissfully unaware of the drama that had taken place in the hills and caused such catastrophic damage," Tharoor said in a post on X.
The senior Congress member said he learned the scale of the disaster upon reaching Kathmandu.
"Learned on arrival of the loss of life (now confirmed at 160 so far) and the fact that some 2000 or more people are estimated to be missing," the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.
"I fully support the Indian government's immediate pledge of relief assistance. Nepal needs all the help it can get," Tharoor said.
Expressing concern for the Indian tourists caught up in the disaster, he said, "My heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones, who include large numbers of Indian tourists, including a hundred performing the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra."
"Prayers for the missing; may they be rescued soon," the former Union Minister added.
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Nepal floods
A sudden and severe flash flood hit Nepal's northern Rasuwa district near the Tibet border, causing massive damage along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers and killing over 170 people. More than 800 people remain missing, authorities said.
Nepal's officials said dozens of bridges had been destroyed and nearly 40 kilometres of roads had been damaged, making search-and-rescue efforts more difficult.
The country's army rescued more than 100 people from flood-hit areas through helicopter operations on Thursday morning, army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet said.
Meanwhile, three people had died, while 558 others remained missing in Tibet, Chinese state media reported.
More details will be added shortly.
