New Delhi [India], August 28 (ANI): The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has held up scheduled trips of the Delhi-Kathmandu international bus service as a precautionary measure amid the flash floods in Nepal, with services scheduled for August 28 and 29 affected.
In a letter dated August 27, the DTC's I.P. Depot said the DTC bus trips from Delhi to Kathmandu and Kathmandu to Delhi scheduled for August 28 have been held up. A Nepali bus trip from Delhi to Kathmandu scheduled for August 29 has also been held up.
"In view of the above, as a preventive measure, the trips scheduled for DTC buses on 28.08.2026 Delhi to Kathmandu and Kathmandu to Delhi and likewise, trip schedule for Nepali bus on 29.08.2026 have been held-up due to massive Flash Flood in Nepal," the letter said.
The DTC said the Delhi-Kathmandu International Bus Service, officially known as the "Indo-Nepal Maitri Bus Sewa", operates from Dr Ambedkar Stadium Terminal, Delhi Gate, New Delhi.
"It has been brought in notice through Media reports and Telephonic message received from L.O of DTC bus that a Flash Flood hits Nepal on 26.08.2026 due to which approximately 160 people have been killed and hundreds are missing," the letter said.
It added that "after a massive flash flood road transportation was completely shuts on National Highways, Delhi-Kathmandu Route in Nepal at present."
The DTC said it had "scheduled trips on 28.08.2026 from Delhi to Kathmandu and same as from Kathmandu to Delhi, as well as Nepali bus has schedule trip from Delhi to Kathmandu on 29.08.2026."
The letter said the decision was taken "as a preventive measure" in view of the situation and added, "This has the approval of the Competent Authority."
The suspension of the scheduled trips comes as Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of devastating flash floods that have caused heavy casualties, left hundreds missing and severely affected transport links in parts of the country.
The update comes as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has released the names of 63 Indian nationals working at the Trishuli-I project in Nepal who have been rescued amid the devastating flash floods that have wreaked havoc across the Himalayan nation.
In a post on X on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the names while saying, "Update on Indian nationals rescued in Nepal."
"Please see the names of 63 Indian nationals working at Trishuli-I project in Nepal who have been rescued," Jaiswal said.
The release of the names came as the MEA, in its 8 pm update, said that the 63 workers of the Trishuli-I project and 21 people from Tamil Nadu have been rescued.
The 21 Tamil Nadu nationals had travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
As the devastating flash floods wreaked havoc across Nepal, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday stated that 84 Indian nationals have been rescued. At the same time, 290 remain uncontactable as the Himalayan nation stepped up search, rescue and relief operations following the disaster that has claimed at least 359 lives.
The MEA said efforts were continuing to ascertain the whereabouts and ensure the safety of Indian nationals who remain uncontactable in the flood-affected areas.
Nepal grapples with the aftermath of a major flash flood that struck the Rasuwa district on Wednesday morning, sending a powerful surge of water, sediment and boulders through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems.
According to the latest update from Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 359 bodies have been recovered, while 910 people remain missing or out of contact.
Casualties have been reported from eight districts, with Chitwan recording the highest number of recovered bodies at 132, followed by Nawalparasi East with 82, Gorkha with 30, Dhading with 33, Nuwakot with 28, Tanahun with 22, Rasuwa with 17, and Nawalparasi West with 15.
The NDRRMA said the 910 people listed as missing or out of contact include 28 Nepal Police personnel, 44 Nepal Army personnel, 13 Armed Police Force personnel, 15 Customs Office personnel and four Immigration Office personnel. Rasuwa alone accounts for 161 missing or out-of-contact people, while one person has been reported missing in Nuwakot.
The disaster has also affected foreign nationals, with 517 foreign citizens reported missing or out of contact, while 127 Nepali citizens living abroad who were visiting Nepal have also been listed.
After visiting flood-hit Nuwakot, Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah said that the situation remained challenging and that the country's state machinery was operating at "full capacity".
"The situation is still challenging. All state mechanisms are operating at full capacity. Right now, our first priority is to save the lives of each and every citizen, search and rescue of the missing, treat the injured and provide immediate relief to the affected families," Shah said in a statement on Facebook.
The Prime Minister said 13,295 security personnel from the Nepal Police, Nepal Army and Armed Police Force had been mobilised for search and rescue operations.
Meanwhile, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established an Emergency Response Team to coordinate search, rescue, information verification and consular assistance concerning foreign nationals affected by the Rasuwa flash flood.
The authorities continue to conduct search and rescue operations across the affected districts as efforts intensify to locate those still missing, assist stranded people and restore damaged infrastructure. (ANI)
