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Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal on Sunday expressed deep gratitude to India for its continued support to the country's rescue and relief operations following the devastating flash floods in the Bhotekoshi River area, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi had responded immediately and directed that all possible assistance be extended to Nepal.
Speaking about India's assistance, Khanal said Prime Minister Modi spoke with Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah on the first day of the crisis and personally instructed that all possible support be provided to the Nepalese government. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately spoke with our Prime Minister Balendra Shah on day one. Since then, Prime Minister Modi himself has instructed that all possible support be provided to the Government of Nepal, and we are actively collaborating at this stage," Khanal said. He added that an Indian rescue and disaster-specialised team had arrived in Nepal to assist ongoing operations. "The Indian rescue and disaster-specialised team arrived the day before yesterday and yesterday as well," the Nepalese Foreign Minister said. Khanal said Nepal was also working to assist foreign nationals affected by the floods, including a large number of Indian nationals who were present in different parts of the country. "A large number of them are Indian nationals who were in different areas of Nepal. We are actively trying to ensure that, along with Nepali nationals, we also support foreign nationals who need assistance from the Government of Nepal," he said. The Foreign Minister also spoke about his discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, saying the two sides focused on cooperation in rescue and relief operations. "We spoke about collaboration in rescue and relief efforts. His Excellency offered all possible support from the Government of India, and I express our deep gratitude, on behalf of the Government and people of Nepal, to the Government and people of India," Khanal said. India has significantly scaled up its humanitarian and technical assistance to Nepal following the catastrophic August 26 floods in the Bhotekoshi River area of Rasuwa, which caused widespread destruction and disrupted key roads and communication links. On Sunday, India sent its fourth relief flight to Kathmandu, carrying 11 tonnes of essential supplies and specialised personnel to support rescue and recovery efforts. The latest consignment included blankets, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, plastic sheets and hygiene kits, besides specialised equipment and personnel for complex tunnel search-and-rescue operations. A team of forensic experts equipped with specialised tools for DNA analysis also arrived in Nepal to assist authorities with victim identification and forensic assessments. The latest shipment is part of India's continuing effort to provide humanitarian, medical and technical assistance to Nepal during the crisis. With the latest dispatch, India has airlifted 68.5 tonnes of relief material to Kathmandu, including essential medicines, portable generators, food packets, water purification tablets, shelter material and heavy technical equipment. Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that 16 trucks carrying equipment for a 230-foot Single Lane Modular Steel Bridge had reached Nepal. Equipment for seven additional Bailey bridges is also set to be dispatched, along with technical teams to facilitate their rapid installation and restore critical connectivity. India's first relief aircraft arrived in Nepal on August 26 with 10 tonnes of supplies, including temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and medicines. A second flight on August 27 carried 37.5 tonnes of relief material, including tents, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, dewatering pumps, kitchen sets, generators, medicines and food items. A third consignment subsequently carried another 10 tonnes. The Indian assistance has therefore combined immediate humanitarian relief with specialised search-and-rescue capabilities and infrastructure support aimed at restoring connectivity in flood-affected areas. The Bhotekoshi River floods have caused extensive damage in the Rasuwa region, with hundreds of people reported dead or missing and critical transport and communication infrastructure affected. As rescue and relief operations continue, India has reiterated its commitment to standing with Nepal through the immediate response as well as the recovery and reconstruction phase. (ANI)
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