KUALA LUMPUR: A team of United Sikhs Malaysia volunteers on a humanitarian mission in Nepal had a close brush with danger after a landslide struck the road in front of them as they made their way back to Kathmandu.
The landslide resulted in the team having to spend at least one night near Bhorle following the incident on Wednesday (Sept 9).
“We are stranded due to a landslide that occurred on our way back to Kathmandu.
"We are now taking refuge in a building that is undergoing construction at a nearby village,” said United Sikhs Malaysia vice-president Mandeep Singh in an update on Wednesday.
The team had earlier delivered aid to residents in Betrawati and visited the hometown of their driver in Ramche.
Their driver’s siblings had passed away in the devastating floods that took place on Aug 26.
Mandeep said the landslide happened right before their eyes, and that they had noticed stones falling from above just moments earlier.
“Just 10 seconds later, the landslide happened,” he said.
They have been informed that the local authorities will only clear the debris and the road cut off by the landslide on Thursday.
United Sikhs Malaysia left the country for Nepal on Sept 4 to deliver humanitarian aid to the victims of the flash floods at the Nepal-China border.
According to an analysis by the United States Geological Survey, a Himalayan glacial collapse was believed to have triggered the Aug 26 incident, which generated energy equivalent to a 5.2-magnitude earthquake.
As of press time, more than 1,000 people have died while thousands more remain missing.
