Family members of 55-year-old B. Durgamba, who was stranded at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, are a relived lot. They received a call from her around 5.30 pm on Sunday, after an agonising 21-hour wait.
Durgamba spoke to her son Chandrasekhar and daughter-in-law Nagamani assuring them that she was safe and would be going to Janakapuri along with other group members. The group is likely return to Vijayawada by May 30.
“We were tense as we could not contact her due to problems in the communication network in Kathmandu. We were anxiously watching news channels for information about the stranded people and are relieved after we received a call from her (Durgamba) in the evening,” Ms. Nagamani said.
Nineteen tourists from Andhra Pradesh, including four from Vijayawada, returned to New Delhi on Sunday from Kathmandu. Of them, eight persons arrived at Hyderabad in a special flight. “It’s a rebirth for us. What we faced there (Nepal) was horrifying. We thank the government for making arrangements for our return,” a tourist told to her family members over phone.
Krishna district Collector Babu A. said eight from Vijayawada and two from Nandigama were on pilgrimage. Of them, four returned safely on Sunday. He said the remaining tourists were staying in hotels and arrangements were being made to bring them back.
West Godavari district SP Bhaskar Bhushan said of the 30 pilgrims from the district, over 20 were airlifted to Hyderabad by Sunday evening. “We are in touch with the Embassy and efforts are on to bring the remaining pilgrims hailing from Palacole, Narsapuram and other places in the district,” he said.
We were tense as we could not contact her due to problems in the communication network in Kathmandu. We are relieved after we received a call from her (Durgamba) in the evening
Nagamani,a kin of Durgamba
