28 Andhra pilgrims safe after crossing flood zone minutes before deluge

At least 28 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh who travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra are expected to return to their respective destinations on Friday after completing the pilgrimage and safely crossing a flood-affected area.

Venkatramana, proprietor of the Tirupati-based travel agency that organised the trip, said the group left for Nepal on August 21 and comprised 28 people, all from Andhra Pradesh.

“Twenty-eight pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh who travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra have completed their pilgrimage and are expected to return to their respective destinations this evening after safely crossing the flood-affected area,” Venkatramana told PTI.

He said the pilgrims encountered the flood situation while travelling towards an immigration office, but their vehicle had crossed the stretch shortly before floodwaters reached the area. The waters arrived approximately five minutes after the vehicle had crossed the location, he added.

Venkatramana said all 28 pilgrims were safe and that none had suffered injuries or faced any other reported difficulty due to the floods.

The group was travelling from Nepal to Delhi, following which the pilgrims would take separate flights to their destinations. Some were scheduled to travel from Delhi to Visakhapatnam, while others would fly from Delhi to Hyderabad and then proceed to their respective places in Andhra Pradesh.

Venkatramana also said he would travel to Tirupati on August 29 from Kathmandu.