Arya News - Around 25 Nepali volunteers are working with hospitals, mortuaries, police and other authorities as Isha seeks information on those affected by the disaster.
NEW DELHI – Restricted access to the Nepal-Tibet flood zone and an ongoing identification process have left the status of 80 people linked to an Isha Foundation Kailash Manasarovar sojourn unresolved two weeks after the disaster.
The foundation said on Saturday that 77 participants and three volunteers remain unaccounted for, with no change in the number since its previous update. Authorities have told the organisation that identification work at the disaster site is continuing.
“Given the conditions, identification work may take considerable time,” the foundation said.
It said supporting affected families and getting verified information to them remained its priority.
Isha Foundation in touch with authorities across India, Nepal and China
The foundation said it was maintaining contact with Chinese, Indian, and Nepali authorities, along with the relevant embassies of 19 countries in India, Nepal, and China.
Its teams are seeking information about those affected, tracking official procedures and passing updates received through government and consular channels to families.
Identification details, photographs, and other available information have also been provided to authorities and search-and-rescue teams where required.
Isha volunteers have approached agencies, including the US State Department and Global Affairs Canada, to seek information from the Chinese government.
The foundation said procedures communicated by Chinese authorities to families belonging to one nationality were also shared with other governments so that similar information could be sought for their citizens.
It said information suitable for release would first be shared with affected families. Any public disclosure would be made only where legally and ethically appropriate.
Names, photographs, and other personal details of affected families and volunteers would not be released publicly or shared with media organisations, it added.
Access to Gyirong Port remains restricted
Chinese authorities continue to restrict access to Gyirong Port on the Nepal-Tibet border for forensic and rescue operations, according to the foundation.
Access from the Nepal side has also been restricted by Nepali authorities.
“No private individuals or organisations have been allowed near the site,” the foundation said.
Isha volunteers had initially remained in Gyirong Town to gather information about relief operations. Chinese authorities later asked them, along with other non-official personnel, to leave the area.
The foundation said international media were given access on the 12th day after the disaster, but reports published so far had not produced new information.
25 volunteers deployed in Nepal
Around 25 Nepali volunteers have been deployed for coordination on the ground.
Their knowledge of the local language has helped them communicate with hospitals, mortuaries, police, government offices, and other authorities, the foundation said.
The volunteers have approached the Nepal Police and Nepal Tourist Police and provided them with the full list of affected people and available documentation.
Contact has also been established with the Nepali Army through the foundation’s volunteer network. Information about those still unaccounted for has been given to search-and-rescue personnel.
Teams are also monitoring official Nepali and Chinese government and police channels for developments in rescue and identification efforts.
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, when there was no clear centralised information system, volunteers visited hospitals and mortuaries to gather available information and understand how identification was being conducted.
They have continued checking with those facilities.
The team also visited a DNA centre to understand identification requirements. The foundation said DNA procedures differed between countries and were being coordinated through respective consular services.
Families, particularly emergency contacts, are being briefed on information received from embassies and authorities as well as the procedures they may need to follow.
Hotline operating across eight countries
A dedicated volunteer team is handling emails and calls through a hotline operating across eight countries. The foundation said it would try to respond to queries within 24 hours.
It is also helping families with practical arrangements. This includes coordinating with the Nepal tour operator and DHL to send back belongings left by participants in Kathmandu.
The foundation thanked emergency workers, embassies, diplomats, government authorities, police, rescue personnel, and forensic teams involved in the operation.
It said it would continue seeking updates from local authorities and emergency services and pass relevant information to affected families when available.