Nepal Earthquake: With transit visa from India, foreigners relieved at exit

Bihar has intensified relief and rescue operations by setting up camps in four districts and sending buses for evacuating people.

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A foreigner waits outside immigration checkpost in Raxaul Wednesday after they arrived from Pokhara. (Source: IE photo by Prashant Ravi)

Seated on the front seat of a Volvo bus at Birgunj-Raxaul border are Paul from Canada and Kytzia from Argentina. They are among the 27 foreigners who got stranded in Nepal’s Pokhara town for the last three days. They have been given transit visa by India and are on their way to Patna on a bus made available by Bihar government.

“We are happy to get transit visa, but have to rush things to ensure my return to Argentina,” said Kytzia ,who along with Paul and 38 other foreign nationals from Australia, Canada, Argentina, Finland, Germany and Poland were attending a yoga camp in Pokhara. “The camp was well into its third week (when the earthquake took place). But there is no point staying back amidst trepidation and uncertainty. We are happy to get transit and gratis visa from India”, said Wagner from Germany.

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Jessisslava Ivanova from Bulgaria said they ran for cover and luckily no one was injured in the quake.

Pokhara did not suffer much damage.

“Nobody wanted to stay back. They spent three days out in the open. There is a sense of relief now,” said Swami Atmagyan Anandgiri, the organiser of the yoga camp.

Bihar helps in evacuation. Bihar has intensified relief and rescue operations in Nepal by setting up camps in four districts and sending buses to the neighbouring country for evacuating people.

The four relief camps have been set up in East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani and Araria districts. A total of 1,400 people, including 20 foreigners, have reached these camps. Vyasji, principal secretary in the Department of Disaster Management, said 32 state-owned buses have reached Kathmandu. He said the government is now planning to send 50 buses to Nepal every day.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reviewed relief work in Sitamarhi.

Santosh Singh

Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More

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