{
  "id": 4348715,
  "title": "Tea break & an alert driver: How Kailash pilgrims narrowly escaped Nepal floods",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/tea-break-an-alert-driver-how-kailash-pilgrims-narrowly-escaped-nepal",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-29T16:33:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawada/tea-break-visa-delay-saved-pilgrim-group-from-nepal-flood-fury/articleshow/133615807.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Twenty-eight pilgrims from southern India successfully returned from their Kailash Mansarovar yatra after narrowly evading devastating flash floods in Nepal, according to an account in The Times of India. The group, comprising individuals from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, had a close call when their driver took a 10-minute detour during a brief tea break, averting a potential disaster. The driver's swift response, prompted by a flash flood alert, proved instrumental in saving the lives of all 28 pilgrims, as detailed by Pemmasani Venkataramana, the managing director of Sign In Travels, which organized the expedition.\n\nAnother pilgrim, Krishnaiah Muthyala from Visakhapatnam, attributed their safety to a three-day delay in acquiring their visas. Had they departed sooner, the group would have been on the Syabrubesi bridge when it was swept away. This unexpected delay inadvertently shielded them from the impending catastrophe. Moreover, Kalpana, a pilgrim from Tirupati, recounted the harrowing experience of witnessing the floodwaters engulfing several buses, including two carrying pilgrims from Kolkata. The scene was described as one of chaos and panic, with entire villages submerged or abandoned. The group's timely rescue by their driver and subsequent transfer back to Kathmandu were described as nerve-wracking but ultimately successful.\n\nAndhra Pradesh Bhavan officials in New Delhi confirmed the safe arrival of Bhaskar Shastry and three others from Kurnool district, who were part of a larger group of 144 pilgrims. These individuals have been arranged for a safe return to Kathmandu via the Kodari border. The authorities are in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the rescue and return of any remaining pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh who are still stranded in Nepal. The story underscores the importance of prompt decision-making and vigilant driving in emergency situations, especially during high-risk expeditions such as the Kailash Mansarovar yatra.",
  "summary": "Twenty-eight pilgrims from three Indian states safely returned home after escaping Nepal's devastating flash floods. A brief tea break and a ten-minute delay proved crucial in saving their lives. Another group's visa delay inadvertently kept them from the flood zone. They witnessed buses and villages being swept away by the raging waters. Officials are coordinating efforts to rescue other…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "Nepal flash floods: How a tea break saved lives of 5 Chhattisgarh friends",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/nepal-flash-floods-how-a-tea-break-saved-lives-of-5-chhattisgarh",
        "published": "2026-08-29T17:09:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Live Mint",
        "title": "Headmaster hailed hero for timely action that saved 1,643 school students from Nepal floods",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/headmaster-hailed-hero-for-timely-action-that-saved-1-643-school",
        "published": "2026-08-30T06:13:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "'Expect the worst': Isha Foundation on 80 Kailash pilgrims missing in Nepal floods",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/expect-the-worst-isha-foundation-on-80-kailash-pilgrims-missing-in",
        "published": "2026-08-30T06:38:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}