Nepal floods: 404 Maharashtra citizens safe, 338 contacted as Fadnavis orders swift rescue
Synopsis
With severe flooding disrupting Nepal's road networks, Maharashtra has 404 citizens verified safe and 338 contacted — but eight tourists from Mumbai's Borivali and Andheri remain unreachable due to connectivity blackouts. CM Fadnavis has deployed buses and activated a 24/7 control room, even as the final evacuation push is still under way.
Key Takeaways
404 Maharashtra citizens in Nepal have been verified safe; 338 have been successfully contacted as of 29 August .
41 people returned from Nepal's Saga on Saturday; 106 more are due in Nagpur at 4:30 am Sunday .
A group of 45 tourists from Nashik, Pune, Mumbai , and Ahilyanagar safely re-entered India after being re-routed via Lumbini .
Eight tourists from Borivali and Andheri remain stranded; connectivity issues are hampering contact efforts.
The MEA confirmed 149 Indian tourists safely entered Nepal from China on 28 August .
The BMC EOC has received no distress calls from Mumbai City or Mumbai Suburban residents so far.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday, 29 August confirmed that 404 citizens from the state stranded in Nepal amid severe flooding have been verified safe, while 338 individuals have been successfully contacted. The state government is working round-the-clock on evacuation and travel logistics to ensure all affected residents return home safely.
Key Developments
According to official updates, 41 people returned from Nepal's Saga on Saturday, while 106 citizens are scheduled to arrive in Nagpur at 4:30 am on Sunday. A further 143 residents are currently in transit back to the state.
A group of 45 tourists from Nashik, Pune, Mumbai, and Ahilyanagar — who had travelled to Nepal through a tour operator based in Sangamner, Ahilyanagar — have safely re-entered Indian territory. The group was in Nepal's Chitwan when the floods struck. Due to road closures toward Kathmandu, they were re-routed through Lumbini and are expected to reach Ayodhya on Saturday, after which further travel arrangements will follow state directives, according to the government statement.
What the Government Said
Chief Minister Fadnavis has issued strict instructions to authorities to maintain high vigilance and coordinate travel logistics. Helpline numbers have been activated, and the 24/7 Disaster Management Control Room at the Mantralaya is actively overseeing relief operations.
Under the direction of Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan, the state government is working in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA released a list on 28 August detailing 149 Indian tourists who safely crossed into Nepal from China. State officials have been instructed to verify and compile district-wise details of Maharashtra residents to facilitate their safe return.
Buses Deployed, Nagpur Group Heads Home via Bihar
Following CM Fadnavis's intervention, buses and transport services have been deployed for the evacuation. The group of 106 individuals from Nagpur began their homeward journey on Saturday via Bihar, according to the official statement.
Notably, authorities are tracking eight tourists from Borivali and Andheri who remain stranded in Nepal. Efforts to reach Laxminarayan Acharya from Andheri and others in the group have been hampered by connectivity disruptions. Officials are in active communication with their relatives in Mumbai while rescue and contact efforts continue.
BMC Reports No Distress Calls So Far
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Emergency Operations Centre (BMC EOC) reported that it has received no distress calls regarding residents from Mumbai City or Mumbai Suburban districts as of Saturday. This comes amid broader concerns about Indian tourists caught in Nepal's flooding crisis, which has disrupted road networks across several regions of the country.
With a significant number of residents still in transit, the state government's focus now shifts to completing the final leg of evacuations and accounting for those yet to be contacted.
Point of View
But the case of eight unreachable tourists from Borivali and Andheri underscores a persistent gap in crisis management: connectivity blackouts in remote Nepal terrain can render even the best-coordinated rescue efforts temporarily blind. The state's reliance on MEA coordination is appropriate, but the patchwork of district-wise verification — done reactively rather than through pre-registered tourist databases — reveals a structural gap that recurs every time Indian tourists are caught in a cross-border natural disaster. A centralised, real-time outbound tourism registry would give authorities a head start the next time a Nepal or a Southeast Asian flood hits during peak travel season.
NationPress
29 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Maharashtra citizens are stranded in Nepal due to flooding?
As of 29 August, 404 Maharashtra citizens have been verified safe and 338 have been contacted. Eight tourists from Borivali and Andheri remain unreachable due to connectivity disruptions, and efforts to locate them are ongoing.
What steps has CM Devendra Fadnavis taken for stranded tourists in Nepal?
CM Fadnavis has issued strict instructions for high vigilance and travel coordination, activated helpline numbers, and deployed buses for evacuation. The 24/7 Disaster Management Control Room at the Mantralaya is coordinating relief, and the state is working with the Ministry of External Affairs.
When will the 106 Nagpur tourists stranded in Nepal return home?
The group of 106 individuals from Nagpur began their journey home on Saturday via Bihar and are scheduled to arrive in Nagpur at 4:30 am on Sunday, 30 August.
Which Maharashtra tourists were re-routed through Lumbini?
A group of 45 tourists from Nashik, Pune, Mumbai, and Ahilyanagar — who had travelled via a tour operator in Sangamner — were in Nepal's Chitwan when floods struck. Road closures toward Kathmandu led to their re-routing through Lumbini; they are expected to reach Ayodhya on Saturday.
Has the BMC received any distress calls about Mumbai residents stranded in Nepal?
No. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Emergency Operations Centre reported receiving no distress calls from Mumbai City or Mumbai Suburban residents as of Saturday, 29 August.
