‘Saw death from close’: 8 Assam workers rescued from Nepal return; 8 missing

Eight Assam workers stranded by flash floods in Nepal returned home late Sunday, while eight others remain missing. The workers were employed at the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Nepal's mountainous region. Pankaj Barman, one of the survivors, recounted the harrowing experience, describing the sound of the disaster as "massive" and their immediate instinct to run.

They survived on a hilltop for two days without food or clean water before being spotted by Nepalese military helicopters. Gautam Das, another survivor, barely escaped the floodwaters, recounting his brush with death. The remaining six survivors were identified as Gopal Chand Debnath, Samar Bezbaruah, Sarvishan Marak, Saneswar Narzary, Silva Marak, and Elipson Sangma.

Five more workers from Assam's Nagaon, Nalbari, and Karbi Anglong districts are also missing. Assam's government had opened helpline numbers for those stranded or missing in Nepal, leading to the eight returnees contacting their families. Despite the relief, the families of the eight missing workers have yet to receive any direct contact.