Bargarh engineer returns home from Nepal; wife, daughter still missing

Bargarh engineer Gunnam Jaykrishna (38) returned to his home in Sarala village, Jampali gram panchayat, on Saturday evening after surviving the Aug 26 flash flood in Nepal’s Rasuwa district that swept away his wife Gunnam Sai Bindu (25) and two‑year‑old daughter Harixa. Jaykrishna, who worked on the Upper Trishuli‑1 Hydropower Project, was airlifted to Kathmandu and later learned his family was missing. A DNA sample was taken from his brother‑in‑law for matching against unidentified remains. He arrived home via Delhi and Jharsuguda, while his elder brother said the family remains worried.

Jaykrishna, a 38‑year‑old mechanical engineer, had been employed on the Upper Trishuli‑1 Hydropower Project, a key power‑generation initiative in Nepal’s Rasuwa district. The project’s worksites are often situated on elevated terrain to avoid seasonal flooding, a fact that proved crucial when the sudden deluge hit on the morning of August 26. The flood, described by local observers as “devastating,” inundated low‑lying villages, sweeping away homes and cutting off road access. While the engineer’s elevated position kept him alive, the rapid rise of water erased the settlement where his wife and two‑year‑old daughter lived, leaving no trace of them.

How did Gunnam Jaykrishna survive the Nepal flash flood?

According to reports, the flash flood surged through the Rasuwa district early on August 26, catching many workers off guard. Jaykrishna, who had been assigned to the Upper Trishuli‑1 project’s higher‑altitude section, was able to climb to safer ground as the waters rose, avoiding the immediate danger. The following day, a rescue operation airlifted him and several other surviving laborers from the remote site to Kathmandu, where he received medical attention before contacting his family in Odisha later that night.

What efforts were made to trace his wife and daughter?

His family in Bargarh, alarmed by the lack of information, appealed to the sub‑collector for expedited arrangements to bring Jaykrishna back and to coordinate with Indian diplomatic channels. The Ministry of External Affairs facilitated the issuance of travel documents, which were prepared with its support. Although the paperwork was complete, Jaykrishna decided to remain in Nepal to continue the search for his wife and daughter, working alongside his employer’s team.

After exhaustive searches yielded no results, officials in Nepal initiated a DNA matching protocol, collecting samples from first‑degree biological relatives of the missing persons. Bindu’s brother, accompanied by Jaykrishna’s elder brother Dinesh Choudhury, travelled to Kathmandu to provide a DNA sample for matching against unidentified remains recovered from the flood site.

Following the completion of these formalities, Jaykrishna boarded a Kathmandu‑Delhi flight on Saturday, then transferred to a connecting flight to Jharsuguda, and finally traveled by road to his village of Sarala. Upon arrival, Dinesh expressed that the family remains deeply worried about the whereabouts of his sister‑in‑law and niece.

About the Author

Malay Ray Malay Ray is a journalist who writes on social issues, human interest stories, startups, inventions, the environment, women empowerment, and tribal life. He has been writing for The Times of India from Rourkela and covering other areas in the Sundargarh district of Odisha for the past three years.

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