39 tourists from Pune stranded in Nepal after earthquake

Pune: In a challenging situation, a group of 39 tourists from the Pune districts find themselves stranded in Nepal following a powerful earthquake that occurred on Friday night.

Last week in October, this group embarked on a journey to Nepal with a private tour operator based in Pimpri Chinchwad city. Their purpose was two fold: pilgrimage and exploration of the country’s tourist spots.

Mahesh Rahatani, from Warje-Malwadi said, “We are a group of 39 people from Pune district stranded here in Chitwan. We all are safe, and our tour operator had taken all necessary precaution.’’

Another stranded tourist Mahesh Rahane, from Dhayari told that they were halted at Chitwan after visiting Jungle Safari. When they were at the hotel at night they experienced an earthquake. “Considering the situation, we have immediately rushed to the open place near our hotel to save our lives.’’

Mahesh Rahane recalls, “Chairs, tables, and even the bed in our room were shaking due to the intense tremors. We immediately recognized it as an earthquake and alerted fellow guests in the hotel.”

The good news is that all tourists are safe and accounted for. Although initial communication with their families in Pune was challenging, they managed to reach out on Saturday morning to reassure their loved ones about their safety.
Tour operator Subodh Relekar, representing Archies International Tours and Travel, experienced the earthquake from his third-floor room. Concerned about the well-being of his tourists, he promptly evacuated them to a safer location. Thankfully, no injuries were reported among the group.

In light of the earthquake incident and the anxiety it caused among the tourists, they decided to cancel their planned visits to other destinations and opted to return to Pune. Relekar shared that they are in contact with local authorities and, with their assistance, anticipate a safe return to Pune within the next two to three days.

The stranded tourists expressed their concern about spending the night outdoors without immediate assistance, including access to food.