Rony Tom Roy, a second year engineering student in quake-ravaged Nepal, returned home to the joyous greetings of his family at Kanthallur in Idukki on Tuesday.
Nearly 150 Indian students of the College of Engineering and Science, Bharatpur, a six-hour drive from Kathmandu, the capital, were taken to the border town of Sunauli by road on Sunday and from there to New Delhi, Mr. Roy said.
Those from south India were taken to Hyderabad and from there, Mr. Roy came to Coimbatore where his parents were waiting. Along with Mr. Roy, two students from Rajakkad — Bunia and Alenda — also returned home on Tuesday.
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Mr. Roy said that he and four students from north India had been staying in a rented house as they did not get admission in the hostel. When the earthquake struck on Saturday, they rushed out of the house, sensing the tremor. They were resting at the house as the exams were over.
He said that the intensity of the earthquake was less at Bharatpur, which was nearly 230 km away from the epicentre.
For nearly four hours after the quake, communication was cut off. His parents and younger sisters at Kanthallur were anxiously waiting for his call.
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As the college authorities alerted the students, they stayed in the open for hours. There were continuous after-tremors, he said.
On the way to the border, the extent of destruction could be seen.
Mr. Rony told The Hindu that the college authorities had directed the students to take leave for two weeks. They would be informed on the college-opening later.